NEW DELHI: A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) councillor has been detained for the murder of a party worker who was stabbed to death ahead of Sunday's Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) polls, police said Wednesday.
According to police, the incident took place Tuesday night at Azadpur railway station, when after heated arguments, BJP councillor Madhav Prasad along with some kin and supporters, stabbed party worker Jai Prakash to death.
Eyewitnesses said Prasad held the BJP worker while he was stabbed by others present with him. Prasad has been detained for interrogation.
Jai Prakash was reportedly angry that Prasad had been re-nominated as a candidate in the MCD polls despite not working during his term.
BJP leader Vijay Goyal said it was still early to say whether Prasad killed Jai Prakash.
"It is not right to say just now that he was killed by Prasad," Goyal said adding that he did not have much details of the incident. "It's the first violent incident in the MCD polls. Police are inquiring into the case," he said.
Delhi Congress president J.P. Agarwal said Prasad should be suspended. "BJP should immediately suspend... there should be no place for violence in a democracy," Agarwal said.
"There are so many people asking for party tickets, this does not mean there should be violence or revenge. The party should withdraw such candidates who are into anti-social activities and take action in the incident," he said.