NEW DELHI: Fear our councillors! A mere exchange of barbs between AAP and BJP councillors made Delhi lose its second attempt at choosing a mayor on Tuesday. The House, reconvened after 18 days, was adjourned indefinitely by pro tem speaker Satya Sharma.
Heavy security, which included members of civil defence personnel and marshals, were posted at the Civic Centre, the MCD headquarters. A senior official said the security this time was up with women civil defence personnel joining in to avoid a repeat of the jostling in the previous meeting.
Slated to begin at 11 am, the House proceedings got underway 20 minutes later with the administration of oath to nominated members despite AAP’s objection. Sharma carried on with the oath-taking amid slogan-shouting.
READ HERE | Aldermen issue hangs over peaceful mayoral poll
But the oath-taking by the elected members went on peacefully. The ruckus started when Sharma paused the proceedings for 15 minutes. BJP councillors started shouting slogans against the AAP, which many found provocative.
The AAP members did not respond. After the break, a few members from the saffron party walked to the area where AAP councillors were seated. An altercation began. Within minutes, Sharma decided to adjourn the scheduled poll. “A House can’t run like this. This House is adjourned until the next date,” she said.
Sharma is among 10 nominated councillors from the BJP.
While BJP and Congress councillors left the meeting along with other MCD officials after the adjournment, all 134 winning candidates in the civic body polls along with 13 MLA and three MPs remained seated.
Rekha Gupta, the BJP’s mayoral candidate, staged a sit-in outside the House. She accused the AAP of having started the ruckus. “I saw an AAP councillor pushing and abusing our female councillors. When I complained to AAP MLA Atishi, she saved him by hiding the man behind her, saying ‘kucch nahin hua’ (nothing happened). They were laughing,” Gupta told this newspaper.
AAP, too, accused the saffron party of forcing the House adjournment. “All our councillors are here. If you have the guts, then come and get voting done,” said AAP MLA Durgesh Pathak.
2nd attempt to elect mayor in 18 days
The ruckus made Delhi lose its second attempt at choosing a mayor on Tuesday. The House, reconvened after 18 days amid heavy security at the Civic Centre, the MCD headquarters, was adjourned indefinitely by pro tem speaker Satya Sharma.