7
MCD by-election: Delhi is ready for MCD by-elections to be held in 12 wards on Sunday (30 November). After the assembly elections, BJP will face AAP in its first major electoral test.
MCD by-election: Delhi is ready for MCD by-elections to be held in 12 wards on Sunday (November 30). After the assembly elections, BJP will face Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in its first major electoral test. Whereas Congress will also try to regain its lost prestige. On Friday, the last day of election campaigning, major parties and independent candidates held road shows, street meetings and door-to-door contact. On the last day of the election campaign, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said during the road show in Shalimar Bagh B ward that BJP candidates are getting tremendous blessings from the people in all the wards and this will be visible in the results coming on December 3. A total of 51 candidates, including 26 women, are in the fray in the elections to be held on November 30. BJP has fielded maximum eight women in this contest. AAP has fielded six women candidates and Congress five. This is the first major electoral challenge before the BJP after winning 48 out of 70 seats in the Delhi Assembly elections in February and forming the government under the leadership of Chief Minister Gupta.
Everyone’s eyes on Shalimar Bagh seat
Of the 12 wards of Delhi Municipal Corporation (MCD) where elections are being held, earlier nine were with BJP and three were with AAP. It will be a battle of prestige for the BJP in seats like Shalimar Bagh, from where Gupta was a councilor before winning the assembly elections. Dwarka B, Greater Kailash and Vinod Nagar seats are also important for the party. Dwarka B constituency was vacated by BJP’s Kamaljit Sehrawat after he was elected to the Lok Sabha from the West Delhi seat. A senior Delhi BJP official said that we are paying special attention to Shalimar Bagh B and Dwarka B seats, as these were earlier held by our prominent leaders. The party is not only confident of winning these two wards, but is also confident of improving its previous tally of nine seats. After losing power in Delhi, Aam Aadmi Party is trying to harm BJP by increasing the number of its wards.
There will be tight security on the day of voting
The party’s campaign was led by former Delhi Chief Minister Atishi, state president Saurabh Bhardwaj, Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh and former Delhi minister Gopal Rai. AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal did not participate in the campaign. BJP leaders claim that party candidates will register victory on the basis of work done by their government, while AAP leaders accuse the saffron party of betrayal. Atishi alleged that the BJP government has completely destroyed Delhi by failing on the fronts of electricity and water supply, roads and air pollution. Voting for the by-election will be held on November 30 from 7.30 am to 5.30 pm in all 12 wards, counting of votes will take place on December 3. Officials said that Delhi Police has also started a comprehensive review of the security arrangements ahead of the upcoming MCD by-elections. He said deputy commissioners of police (DCPs) of the districts have started review meetings with assistant police commissioners and station house officers to assess ground level preparedness and coordinate deployment plans.
Also read: The path to developed India lies through the unity of the people: Prime Minister Modi
