DNA Special: Why did AAP, BJP clash during Delhi MCD mayor election?

AAP and BJP councillors clashed over the appointment of 10 aldermen by Delhi Lt Governor VK Saxena as the first meeting of the newly elected Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) House began on Friday.

The meeting began with BJP councillor Satya Sharma being administered the oath as presiding officer for the elections to the posts of Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) mayor and deputy mayor.

Delhi LG had BJP councillor Satya Sharma as pro-tem speaker whose job was to administer the oath to the councillors, who then elect their permanent speaker.

The AAP had objections to the name of Satya Sharma as Protem Speaker, one of the reasons behind Friday's uproar. AAP had proposed the name of its councillor Mukesh Goyal for the post. 

MCD elections are held for 250 seats in Delhi. But the Delhi LG can also nominate 10 people under the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, 1957. However, these members cannot vote in the election for mayor or deputy mayor.

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Today's uproar was about who will be a member of the Standing Committee. In MCD, the Standing Committee is more powerful than the post of Mayor. In a way, the Chairman of this committee runs the MCD as the real power rests with him/her.

Standing Committee

Members of the standing committee were to be elected on Friday. There are a total of 18 members in the Standing Committee of the MCD. In this, 1 member each from the total 12 zones of Delhi was elected for the Standing Committee. The other 6 members are elected by the councillors.

Out of 12 zones, AAP is strong in 5 zones, and BJP is strong in 4 zones. But the 10 members nominated by the LG were elected from 3 such zones where BJP is in a weak position. These members would have helped BJP to get 3 more members in the standing committee.

After this, BJP has 7 while AAP has 5 members in the Standing Committee of MCD. Out of the 6 members who were to be selected today, BJP and AAP were to get 3 members each.

If this happens, then out of total of 18 members of the Standing Committee, 10 members will be from BJP and 8 members from AAP. Therefore, the chairman of the standing committee will be from BJP only.