Day before crucial MCD polls, three AAP councillors jump ship to BJP

The predetermination to capable up the lone vacancy of the 18-member Standing Committee — the highest decision-making assemblage of the MCD — volition beryllium held connected Thursday. The vacancy was created by the resignation of BJP councillor Kamaljeet Sehrawat aft her predetermination from the West Delhi Lok Sabha spot earlier this year.

The committee is the MCD’s cardinal decision-making body, overseeing the civic body’s finances. No connection exceeding Rs 5 crore tin proceed without its approval. If the BJP secures a bulk successful the Standing Committee connected Thursday, it could make a script wherever AAP leads the MCD, but the BJP controls its finances.

Speaking to mediapersons, Sachdeva said the determination of the leaders to permission AAP stemmed from disappointment implicit “unfulfilled promises” and “increasing corruption” wrong the party. Taking connected AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal and Chief Minister Atishi, helium added, “If Kejriwal is truthful keen to go Shri Ram, helium should archetypal enactment distant from the governmental seat for 14 years.”

Preeti, meanwhile, accused Atishi of instigating councillors to bushed up BJP members during the mayoral polls. “If Atishi has go the main minister, this is not impervious of her being educated but alternatively a effect of her being a puppet.”

This is not the archetypal question of defections from AAP — portion 2 enactment councillors had joined the BJP earlier the Lok Sabha polls, 5 much had defected to the BJP connected August 26. The BJP has besides nominated a erstwhile AAP councillor to contention the predetermination for the last Standing Committee seat.

Leader of Opposition successful the MCD, Raja Iqbal Singh, said, “The MCD astatine contiguous has an effectual spot of 249 members. AAP has lone 124 councilors portion the bulk people is 125… it has intelligibly mislaid the majority.”

The Standing Committee comprises 12 elected members from ward committees and six from wrong the House. In the ward committee polls, held connected September 4, BJP won 7 seats portion AAP bagged five. Elections to the six Standing Committee members aft the 2023 mayoral polls had resulted successful some AAP and BJP securing 3 seats each. Following this, Sehrawat was elected to the Lok Sabha.

At present, portion AAP holds 8 Standing Committee seats, the BJP has 9. If the AAP secures the past lasting committee seat, it volition pb to a tie. However, if the BJP wins, giving it a wide majority, it volition person the powerfulness to power the MCD’s purse strings.

If the Congress, which has 9 members successful the House, chooses to ballot against AAP successful Thursday’s election, AAP could suffer its bulk successful the Standing Committee too. However, sources said Congress whitethorn abstain from voting, which could permission AAP with a slim vantage successful securing the last seat.

Meanwhile, taking to X, AAP Malviya Nagar MLA Somnath Bharti expressed interest implicit the switch, peculiarly by Phogat. He claimed that portion joining the enactment astatine the BJP headquarters, Phogat “didn’t adjacent talk a connection and hence I americium disquieted astir her”. He added that Phogat is successful a susceptible state, arsenic she is suffering from a encephalon tumour and has precocious mislaid her husband.

“She is successful trauma and the BJP seems to person tortured her to an unbelievable grade to unit her to articulation BJP. Shame connected BJP! Since her location is locked, phones are disconnected not lone of her but of her children too. She is not reachable to adjacent her ain family… She seems to person been abducted by BJP,” helium alleged, requesting the L-G and Delhi Police to find her.

When The Indian Express reached retired to Phogat, determination was nary response.