NEW DELHI: The BJP has sought to strike a caste and regional balance by nominating councillors from diverse social groups for top positions mayor, deputy mayor, chairman of the standing committee, and leader of the House in three municipal corporations in Delhi.
Sikh councillor Raja Iqbal Singh has been chosen for the post of mayor in North Delhi Municipal Corporation (North DMC), while Mukesh Suryan, who belongs to the Jat community, is the party’s candidate for the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC).
In East Delhi, Shyam Sundar Aggarwal, a ‘Baniya’, has been nominated for the top post. The list of candidates was released on Tuesday, which was the last date of filing nominations.
"This is the last year of MCD’s tenure, and the state leadership has tried to give representation to all castes and groups Baniya, Brahmin, Punjabi, Purvanchali, and SC &ST, which matter to the party. It is a clear attempt to draw favourable results in the civic body elections scheduled early next year,” said an office-bearer of the Delhi BJP.
The BJP has an absolute majority in three corporations and is set to secure all posts this time as well.
The elections were due in April, however, given the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the polls have been postponed four times. The polling is scheduled for June 16.
Iqbal Singh’s Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has severed its alliance with the BJP over the Centre’s three farm laws.
“Iqbal Singh was a councillor under the SAD quota when both parties were allies. With his nomination, the BJP has tried to give a message to Sikh voters. In 2019, another Sikh councillor Avtar Singh was made a mayor,” said another party functionary.
The councillors, who have been nominated to deputy mayoral post elections, are Archana Dilip Singh in the North DMC, Pawan Sharma in the SDMC and Kiran Vaid in the EDMC.
For the chairmanship of standing committees, the party has given the opportunity to Jogiram Jain (Kamla Nagar councillor) in the North DMC, Colonel BK Oberoi (a war veteran) and Veer Singh Pawar (Dilshad Garden ward) in the East Delhi.
Choice of MPs ignored
BJP leadership has ignored choices of MPs, except for MP Gautam Gambhir’s aide Deepak Malhotra, who has been picked for deputy chairmanship in EDMC.
Chhail Bihari Goswami has been nominated for the post of leader of the House in North Delhi