MCD LoP accuses AAP of hypocrisy over delay in mayoral elections

New Delhi, Oct 17 (IANS) Raja Iqbal, the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), on Thursday criticised the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for the long-pending mayoral elections in Delhi and held it responsible for the six months delay in holding the democratic exercise.

Iqbal's comments follow AAP national convenor and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's recent request urging the MCD to conduct the mayoral polls without further delay.

Kejriwal, while appealing to ruling dispensation in Delhi MCD, called for electing a member from the Dalit community as Mayor and alleged that the mayoral elections were deliberately postponed due to 'conspiracies' by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which wants to deprive the Dalit community of its rights.

Responding to Kejriwal's claims, Raja Iqbal told IANS, "The Delhi Municipal Corporation (DMC) Act clearly states that the third term for the Municipal Corporation's mayor should go to a person from the Dalit community. So, what does Arvind Kejriwal have to say about this? He's just a 'dramebaaz,' putting on a show and making baseless statements."

Calling it AAP's hypocrisy, Iqbal said, "By April 1, a person from the Dalit community should have been seated as Mayor. But when you did not hold elections, what can be expected?"

Mocking Kejriwal's legal troubles, Iqbal added, "You were arrested in the liquor scam. You’re only out because you were granted bail."

He also took aim at Delhi Chief Minister Atishi, accusing her of not pushing for the elections.

"Now Atishi is sitting in the Chief Minister's seat. But she didn't press the Lieutenant Governor to conduct the Mayoral election. The AAP doesn't want the elections to happen," he said.

Iqbal also accusing the party of delaying the elections, in its bid to deny the Dalit community, their due.

"The AAP has taken away six months of the Dalit community's rightful term. Another election will now be held on March 31 next year. They're putting on a show demanding elections, but I ask, who stopped them from conducting the elections earlier?"

He went on to allege that AAP deliberately cut short the Dalit community's mayoral term.

"The AAP doesn't care about the Dalit community. The tenure, which was supposed to last a year, has been reduced to just four months because of their actions," he said, further accusing the party of corruption.

Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi, while speaking at an event on Wednesday, quoted a letter from former Chief Minister Kejriwal, which read, "This year, a member of the Scheduled Caste (SC) community was to be elected as Mayor of the Delhi Municipal Corporation. However, when I came out of jail, I learned that as part of a conspiracy, they (hinting at the BJP) did not conduct the elections."

"They are deliberately trying to deprive the SC community of their rights. We will not tolerate this under any circumstances. I request the immediate conduct of the mayoral elections so that the Dalit community gets its due," the letter, written in Hindi, read.

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