MCD Elections 2022: BJP trying to 'poach' newly-elected AAP councillors, alleges Delhi Dy CM Manish Sisodia

MCD Elections 2022: Manish Sisodia's allegations come after the Aam Aadmi Party won the MCD polls with 134 seats, ending the 15-year rule of the BJP in the prestigious municipal corporation and reducing the Congress to just nine seats in a house of 250.

New Delhi: A bitter blame game has begun after Arvind Kejriwal's AAP ousted BJP from power and gained control over the Municipal Corporation of Delhi on Wednesday. Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia made big allegations that the BJP was trying to "poach newly-elected AAP councillors" in the hard-fought Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) elections and asserted that none of them will fall prey to their "game". The AAP No 2 leader said that the newly elected councillors have been instructed to record "such phone calls" in case they receive one.

Sisodia's allegations come after the Aam Aadmi Party won the MCD polls with 134 seats, ending the 15-year rule of the BJP in the prestigious municipal corporation and reducing the Congress to just nine seats in a house of 250.

The BJP, which was predicted to suffer a massive defeat in exit polls, put up a spirited fight, winning 104 municipal wards. "BJP's game has begun. Our newly elected councillors have started receiving phone calls. None of our councillors will be sold. We have told all our councillors that if they get a phone call or if someone comes to meet them, they should record those calls and meetings," he said in a tweet in Hindi.

बीजेपी का खेल शुरू हो गया। हमारे नवनिर्वाचित पार्षदों के पास फ़ोन आने शुरू हो गये।

हमारा कोई पार्षद बिकेगा नहीं। हमने सभी पार्षदों से कह दिया है कि इनका फ़ोन आये या ये मिलने आयें तो इनकी रिकॉर्डिंग कर लें।

— Manish Sisodia (@msisodia) December 7, 2022

BJP IT department head Amit Malviya also suggested that the mayor's election is still an open game and noted that Chandigarh, where its rival was the largest party, has a mayor from BJP ranks. "Now over to electing a mayor for Delhi. It will all depend on who can hold the numbers in a close contest, which way the nominated councillors vote etc. Chandigarh has a BJP mayor, for instance," he said in a tweet.

Delhi BJP spokesperson Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga also claimed that the city will again have a mayor from his party.

AAP ends 15-year-long BJP rule in MCD

The high-stakes battle for control over the Delhi Municipal Corporation ended with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) winning 134 of the total 250 wards in the national capital`s civic body polls, uprooting 15-year rule by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). As the Delhi State Election Commission announced the final results, AAP won 134 wards while BJP came second with 104 wards. Congress managed to get 9 wards while three wards were bagged by Independents.

"Thanks to the people of Delhi for this grand victory and many congratulations to all. Now all of us together have to make Delhi clean and beautiful," tweeted AAP national convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. 

Taking to Twitter, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said, "Today, honesty and work defeated the world`s biggest party which was ruling MCD for 15 years. The people of Delhi have given us a big responsibility to make Delhi clean and beautiful under the leadership of Arvind Kejriwal. Let us all work together to make Delhi the best city in the country."

Way earlier than the final results were declared, celebrations started at the Aam Aadmi Party office in the national capital after the trends showed that the party is set to take over the MCD from the BJP. The party workers gathered in front of the office and rejoiced, danced and chanted slogans praising party chief Arvind Kejriwal.

In a fiercely fought battle, the BJP began the day by leading in the initial trends for nearly one and a half hour initially, however, the trends started shifting as the AAP gained the lead and maintained thereafter until the final results were declared. Both the parties held on to hope as the counting began at 8 am, with the BJP claiming to win the elections for the fourth time, while the AAP exuded confidence in winning the elections.

The high-decibel battle which was fought in the election campaign ahead of the polling on December 4, witnessed the claims and counter-claims by both parties (BJP, AAP) of winning the elections, however, it all boiled down to December 7 when the outcome of the election was revealed.

The polls for 250 wards in the national capital were held on December 4 with about 50 per cent voter turnout and a total of 1,349 candidates were in the fray. However, the low voter turnout did not prove to be an indicator of pro-incumbency.

(With Agency Inputs)