New Delhi: Prithvi Raj Sawhney, a councillor
of the ruling BJP in MCD and a former teacher, was today
elected the Mayor of Delhi defeating his nearest rival Tulsi
Ram Sablania of Congress by 90 votes.
While Sawhney, who represents Janak Puri (South) ward in
the MCD House, secured 178 votes, Congress candidate and East
Patel Nagar councillor Sablania managed only 88 votes in the
elections held during a meeting of Municipal Corporation of
Delhi. BSP`s Hari Chand Kardam had withdrawn before the race.
Sawhney, who will be the 24th Mayor of the city, will
replace incumbent Kanwar Sain, also a BJP councillor.
The BJP has an overwhelming majority in the 272-member
MCD House, the strength of which has come down to 271 after
the Majnu Ka Tila seat held by BJP`s Satish Kumar was declared
vacant by the Delhi High Court. The strength of BJP is 172,
followed by Congress (73), BSP (16) and Independents (10).
Fourteen MLAs and eight MPs are also eligible to vote in
the Mayoral election.
Sawhney, who was the Chairman of MCD Education Committee,
was also a councillor earlier from 1997-2000 and held various
important posts including that of Chairman of MCD Standing
Committee, Conservancy, Sanitation and Engineering Committee
and Health Committee.
He taught in Jammu College and in different schools of
Directorate of Education for 30 years and had been the
president of Delhi Adhyapak Parishad.
IANS