NEW DELHI: Several BJP leaders in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) including Leader of Opposition Raja Iqbal Singh and Deputy Leader of Opposition Jai Bhagwan Yadav, led a protest outside the Mayor’s office at the Civic Center on Wednesday, demanding the immediate election of a Dalit mayor for the Municipal Corporation of Delhi.
BJP-ruled ward committees’ chairpersons, deputy chairpersons, and Standing Committee members joined the demonstration, accusing the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Mayor Shelly Oberoi of deliberately delaying the election.
The mayoral election, which was supposed to take place in April 2024, was delayed after the Lieutenant Governor refused to appoint a presiding officer in the absence of then Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who was in Tihar jail at the time.
Raja Iqbal Singh stated that the AAP’s actions reflect an “anti-Dalit stance,” and accused the party of finding excuses to block the election, denying Dalits their rightful representation in the municipal leadership.
“The Mayor has lost the right to sit in her seat by denying the Dalit community’s right to lead,” Singh declared. He added that despite the ongoing festival season, AAP councillors have been absent from their wards, neglecting their duties, which has led to garbage piling up across the city.
BJP leaders also alleged that Mayor Oberoi is prioritizing personal travel plans over crucial civic duties.