As the crucial mayoral elections begins in Delhi today (April 29), the political stage is set for what many speculate to be a shift in power.
While the Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has opted to stay out of the race for the post of Mayor and Deputy Mayor, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has reportedly emerged with a decisive numerical advantage.
Here is a breakdown of the mathematical factors and nominations that have tilted the scales in favor of the saffron party.
BJP’s 142 vs AAP’s 105
The mayoral election is decided by an electoral college consisting of elected councillors and nominated parliamentarians and legislators. According to data cited by PTI news agency, the BJP looks comfortable with an established base of 142 ‘secured’ votes.
The BJP’s 142-vote fortress includes:
- Elected Councillors: 123
- Lok Sabha MPs: 7 (All Delhi seats)
- Rajya Sabha MP: 1
- Nominated MLAs: 11
In contrast, the AAP holds 105 votes, comprising 100 councillors, three MLAs, and two Rajya Sabha members. The party’s tally took a hit following the recent exit of Swati Maliwal, who joined the BJP.
The Nomination Factor
A crucial component of the BJP’s edge lies in the composition of the nominated MLAs. On Monday, Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta nominated 14 MLAs to the electoral college for the mayoral poll.
Under the current distribution, 11 of these nominations went to the BJP, while only 3 were allotted to the AAP as per the official assembly notification. This 11-3 split significantly widened the gap between the two primary contenders before a single vote was cast.
‘Absent’ opposition
The mathematical advantage for the BJP is further cemented by the decision of major opposition players to not contest the top posts. Kejriwal’s AAP has decided not to participate in the election for Mayor and Deputy Mayor, though it has nominated Jalaj Choudhary for a standing committee seat.
The Congress has named Haji Zarif for Mayor and Rajesh Kumar Gupta for Deputy Mayor. However, with only 8 councillors, the Congress lacks the arithmetic to challenge the BJP’s 142-vote block.
Key Candidates and the Presiding Officer
With the election math suggests a “clean sweep,” the focus remains on the BJP’s lead candidates:
- Mayor Post: Pravesh Wahi (Rohini East).
- Deputy Mayor: Monika Pant (Anand Vihar).
To ensure the process remains orderly, Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu has appointed outgoing mayor Raja Iqbal Singh as the presiding officer.
Under the Delhi Municipal Corporation (DMC) Act, the Mayor’s tenure is one year. While the BJP appears set to control the executive face of the MCD, the AAP’s presence in the Standing Committee elections suggests that the struggle for financial control over the body will continue.
Data Summary Table: The Electoral College (Based on data reported by PTI)
(With Inputs from PTI)