NEW DELHI: Delhi's newly elected Mayor Shelly Oberoi on Wednesday said the the AAP-led Municipal Corporation of Delhi will carry out inspection of landfill sites in the next three months. Minutes after taking charge, the 39-year-old told the House, "We have to work together to fulfil the aspirations of people".
Oberoi defeated BJP candidate Rekha Gupta by 34 votes to emerge victorious in the mayoral polls that took place on Wednesday after much delay since the high-stakes civic polls and after three previous failed attempts to hold the election to the top post.
The previous meetings held on January 6 and 24, and February 6 were adjourned without electing the mayor and deputy mayor..
Shelly is also the first woman mayor of the unified Municipal Corporation of Delhi. Rajni Abbi was the last woman to be elected to the top post in the MCD in 2011 before its trifurcation.
The Aam Aadmi Party's Aaley Mohammad Iqbal defeated the BJP's Kaml Bagri by a margin of 31 votes to become the deputy mayor of Delhi. "The 10 guarantees that CM Arvind Kejriwal has given to people, and the dreams that he has foreseen for Delhi, we will work on them," the AAP leader said, when asked what will be her priorities as a mayor.
The mayor thanked Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, and the people of Delhi. She also thanked Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena.
"My thanks are due also to the Supreme Court, because of whose order the mayor election was held today peacefully," Oberoi said. "I will give the best in my term, under the leadership of Arvind Kejriwal. Work will officially begin in Delhi from tomorrow onwards, and inspection of landfill sites will be done in the next three months months," she said.
Kejriwal congratulated the people of Delhi over Oberoi's win and hit out at the BJP, saying the public won and the "goons" were defeated. "The goons lost, the public won. In the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, the people of Delhi won and hooliganism was defeated. Congratulations to the people of Delhi on Shelly Oberoi being elected mayor," Kejriwal tweeted in Hindi without naming anyone.
The election of mayor took place in the backdrop of a recent Supreme Court order ruling against voting rights of 10 aldermen appointed by the Lt Governor.
Deputy Mayor Iqbal, soon after being elected, told reporters "80 days have been lost so far" as the election couldn't be held earlier. "In the coming days, we will strive to cover up for the loss of these 80 days. And, then we will work round-the-clock to make Delhi a better place, and help realise the dreams that Arvind Kejriwal has dreamt for the city," he said.
Shelly Oberoi an assistant professor at DU
Shelly Oberoi, an assistant professor at Delhi University, is known for her academic laurels.
Oberoi pursued her Doctorate in Philosophy from the School of Management Studies (SOMS), Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) and is also the recipient of best paper awards in different national and international conferences, besides winning a gold medal (Prof Manubhai Shah Award) at an Indian Commerce Association (ICA) conference.
She is also a lifetime member of the ICA.
She has also been felicitated with the "Miss Kamla Rani Prize".