BJP councillor Yogender Chandolia was today elected unopposed as the third Mayor of North Delhi amid protest from the opposition Congress members who walked out of the municipal House.
Outgoing North Delhi Mayor Azad Singh announced Chandolia's victory for the mayoral post after his nomination papers were found in order during the election proceedings in the House.
Earlier, however, disorder prevailed outside the House and briefly inside too as a large number of BJP supporters had gathered at the entrance with many having entered its premises. It was only when the outgoing Mayor as well as Chandolia appealed to party workers to leave the NDMC House that the proceedings could begin for the elections.
But, no sooner had the proceedings started, Congress councillors led by Leader of the Opposition in the House Mukesh Goel demanded an audience on an issue and later staged a walkout even before Chandolia was formally elected.
Talking to reporters after the elections, Goel said, "Such chaos, as witnessed today has never been seen here in the House." "BJP, just because it was feeling high about its candidate being elected unopposed let that disorder happen.
BJP party workers and supporters barged into the House, which is unconstitutional, now tell me who should be held responsible for that. We strongly condemn it," he alleged. Mayor-elect Chandolia later expressing regret on the walkout said, "I had come to the House thinking that I would thank the Opposition on this occasion but I was sad that Congress members did not even stay for the election proceedings. And, it did not feel good.
On major issues for North Delhi, Chandolia said, "Cleanliness, waterlogging issues with monsoons ensuing and responsible governance will remain our top priorities." The 51-year-old also accused the Delhi government of having "tied-up" the civic body on certain issues, which he said are still "pending" and resolution of such issues would be also on the corporation's radar.
Chandolia, earlier served as the chairman of standing committee in 2010-11 and 2011-12 terms, during the unified Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) before its trifurcation, NDMC Public Relations Officer Yogendra Singh Mann said. The five-year tenure for the Mayor post sees five single-year terms on a rotation basis, with the first year being reserved for women, the second open category, third for reserved category, and the remaining two also being in open category.
The current year being third term, Chandolia was elected in the SC category, after Meera Aggarwal was chosen the first Mayor of North Delhi since the trifurcation of MCD into three civic bodies -- NDMC, SDMC and EDMC, followed by Azad Singh as the second.
BJP Councillor Ravindra Gupta was also elected unopposed today as the Deputy Mayor of North Delhi in the election for the second top-most municipal post.
Rekha Gupta and Sanjeev Nayyar of BJP and Prithvi Singh Rathor of Congress were also elected as members of the Standing Committee of the North Corporation as only three nominations were received for the three vacancies created in the committee after the retirement of three of its members. The NDMC has a strength of 104, but two vacancies have been created after those councillors resigned to fight the Delhi Assembly polls last year.
Elections in the SDMC and EDMC for Mayors, Deputy Mayors and members of the corresponding Standing Committee will be held tomorrow. Elections in the SDMC and EDMC for Mayors, Deputy Mayors and members of the corresponding Standing Committee will be held tomorrow.
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