NEW DELHI : Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Delhi Minister Gopal Rai on Saturday alleged that the cancellation of the MCD mayoral elections was orchestrated by the Lieutenant Governor’s office.
The entire incident was part of a broader political scheme designed to undercut the authority of the Delhi government and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), the minister added.
Rai said, “The entire country saw that the Delhi mayor was elected after a great deal of struggle. After that, the Lieutenant Governor appointed alderman in a wrong manner as a result of which no standing committee has been formed yet and work has been impacted. And this time around, he has cancelled the mayoral election.”
He went on to say that everyone can clearly see that the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) is trying to impede the MCD at any cost, in the same manner in which they have been trying to impede the Delhi government.”
Meanwhile, AAP workers held a protest outside the BJP office against the postponement of the mayoral elections. Holding placards, they were seen raising slogans calling the BJP ‘anti-Dalit’.
During the protests, Delhi police detained MLAs Rakhi Birla, Ajay Dutt and the party’s candidate for Mayor Mahesh Khichi amongst dozens of other party workers.
“This time a son of the Dalit community was supposed to become the mayor but the election was cancelled overnight. We want to tell the BJP that they don’t have enough power yet to change the Constitution written by Dr Ambedkar. This time, the Dalit of the country will show the BJP the way out of power,” Rakhi Birla said.
AAP protest
AAP workers held a protest outside the BJP office against postponement of the mayoral elections. Holding placards, they were seen raising slogans calling the BJP ‘anti-Dalit’.