India

Punches, Kicks In AAP vs BJP Brawl Over 1 Vote At Delhi Civic Body

Kairi 2 years ago 2 min read

A massive brawl broke out between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and BJP councilors at a Delhi citizenship headquarters after the mayor invalidated a vote in the election of six key municipal committee members.

Here’s a 10-point cheat sheet for this big story:

After the mayor’s action, the BJP stopped counting votes. However, the mayor decided that the result would be announced without a zero vote.
Chaos soon reigned in the house: Councilors from both sides hit, kicked, hit and shoved while screaming. Some councilors were seen with torn jackets.One of them also collapsed.
“The voice is important. According to our calculations, if he is deemed invalid, the AAP candidate will win,” a BJP council member who had his shirt button ripped off told NDTV Gang of thugs, violate set counting rules.When the BJP heard they were going to lose their votes, they started attacking people. Delhi’s first female mayor had to defend herself to save her life. The BJP men jumped on the table and threatened the mayor,” AAP MP Atishi told reporters. The
MCD House has been postponed. It will meet on Monday.Earlier, members of the AAP and the ruling BJP stood on tables and shouted slogans at the home of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD). BJP members said they would not allow a recount.
“One side can be counted, the other not. That’s why I don’t count. Result announced without invalid vote,” said Shelly Oberoi, leader of the AAP, who was elected mayor earlier this week after a delay of more than two months.
At least 242 of the 250 councillors in the AAP-run civic body voted to select six members to the MCD’s standing committee, a powerful body that decides how funds are to be used and on what projects.
After she declared one vote invalid, Ms Oberoi came under the firing line of angry BJP councillors, who shouted “you are not in your senses” at her. Some BJP councillors shouted “Jai Shri Ram” and praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Their rivals from the AAP shot back, “Aam Aadmi Party zindabad, Arvind Kejriwal zindabad.”
Seven candidates are contesting the standing committee election.AAP named Aamil Malik, Raminder Kaur, Mohini Jeenwal and Sarika Chaudhary). The BJP fielded Kamaljeet Sehrawat and Pankaj Luthra. Independent councilor Gajender Singh Daral, who has joined the BJP, is also a candidate.
Today’s brawl was a major escalation since January, when AAP and BJP councilors last punched each other during the mayoral vote. Local elections had to be postponed several times.