Oberoi is Delhi mayor as BJP pulls out of race
NEW DELHI: Shelly Oberoi and Aaley Mohammad Iqbal of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) were unanimously elected as MCD mayor and deputy mayor respectively after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidates withdrew their nominations minutes before the civic body was going to hold voting for the two positions.
The polls to the two key posts concluded unhindered unlike the first one on February 22 that were held in the backdrop of two House meetings halted by violence and bitter exchanges between the councillors. With this the focus has now shifted to the formation of key administrative panels such as the Standing Committee and zonal ward committee that are critical to the functioning of the civic body as well as local governance.
After the elections, the House was adjourned to meet again on May 2. Oberoi and Iqbal would serve their second term till March 31, 2024, after which the MCD will hold fresh elections to the two positions. According to the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, 1957, the MCD House has to elect a new mayor and a deputy mayor at the beginning of the financial year on April 1.
Soon after getting elected, mayor Shelly Oberoi said that her first priority over the next year would be to fulfil the ten guarantees announced by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in run up to the municipal elections in December last year. “Special efforts will be made to make Delhi a garbage-free and world-class city. We will also lay special emphasis on sanitation, transformation of schools, parks and hospitals and resolving issues being faced by MCD employees,” she added.
She said that all political parties should work together for the people of Delhi, putting aside their political differences.