Today’s fight was a big escalation since January.
New Delhi:
A massive fight broke out between Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and BJP councillors inside the house of Delhi’s civic body after the Mayor declared one vote invalid in the election to six members of a key municipal committee.
The fight started after Mayor Shelly Oberoi declared one vote invalid in the election to six members of a key municipal committee.
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.
The house exploded into movie-like chaos, with councillors from both sides punched, kicked, slapped and pushed one another amid shouting.
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.”
During the ruckus, which forced adjournment of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) House proceedings till February 27, a councillor, Ashok Manu, collapsed. He was rushed to a nearby hospital.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Atishi alleged that BJP members got agitated and attacked the Delhi mayor when they sensed their party would lose the election. The mayor had to run out of the House, she said.
“Today is a black day. Mockery of Constitution was done and today, the House saw a black day. We called the BJP councillors and asked them about their demands and we got reelection done but still they attacked me,” Oberoi told reporters.
The election process for the six members of the Standing Committee began at around 11 am and concluded at 2:30 pm. The counting began 10 minutes later and went on for over two hours.
AAP MLA Saurabh Bharadwaj said, “What we witnessed today is just not imaginable. As soon as the mayor started announcing the results, BJP councillors started attacking our mayor and the civil defence staff.” “She somehow escaped and one of the civil defence personnel showed her hand which had bite marks. The way they attacked our mayor, we will take legal action,” he said.
The Standing Committee has powers to grant financial approval to projects, set up sub committees on several issues and finalise policies.
The MCD House had also witnessed ruckus on Wednesday night with members of the BJP and the AAP on exchanged blows and hurled plastic bottles at each other.
Today’s fight was a big escalation since January, the last time AAP and BJP councillors threw punches at one another when voting was held to elect the Mayor. The Mayor election had to be postponed several times.
(With inputs from PTI)
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