Five councillors of the Aam Aadmi Party, which is in power in the Union Territory of Delhi and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva on Sunday made Ramchandra, Pawan Sehrawat, Mamta Pawan, Sugandha Bidhuri and Manju Nirmal, who had left the Aam Aadmi Party, join the party at the state office. Delhi Congress president Devendra Yadav has called this defection of councillors a sign of the failure of the Aam Aadmi Party government.
Delhi Congress President said that these councillors joined BJP because they did not see their political future with Aam Aadmi Party. Arvind Kejriwal has failed to solve the problems of Delhi. Delhi politics is heated over the councillors changing parties. At the same time, there is also talk about what will be the effect of MCD’s Operation Lotus?
The math of the standing committee has changed
This defection of five councillors has changed the maths of the most powerful standing committee of MCD. Opposition BJP will now have nine members in the standing committee. Two members of the party were already selected for this 18-member committee and the party was in majority in five zones (Shahdara North and South Zone, Keshavpuram, Najafgarh and Civil Lines Zone). BJP already had seven members in the standing committee. Now after the latest defection, BJP has a majority in Central and Narela zones as well. The five councillors who joined BJP are from these two zones. Ramchandra and Pawan Sehrawat come from Narela zone and the remaining three councillors are from Central zone.
Also read: ‘People are getting disillusioned with AAP…’, Delhi Congress chief takes a dig at councillors joining BJP
On the contrary, Aam Aadmi Party now has majority in only five zones (South, West, Rohini, City Sadar-Paharganj and Karol Bagh zones). Three members of Aam Aadmi Party have already been elected to the Standing Committee. Five more committee members will be elected from five zones. Aam Aadmi Party’s strength in the Standing Committee will reach only eight which is one less than BJP. While BJP has come to the driving seat in the Standing Committee, Aam Aadmi Party is stuck in the numbers game.
What will be the effect on the functioning of the Standing Committee
The changing number game of the Standing Committee will also affect the functioning of the MCD. The direct effect of Aam Aadmi Party lagging behind in the number game in the Standing Committee and BJP coming into the driving seat will be that now even if the Mayor of MCD is from Aam Aadmi Party, the power will remain in the hands of BJP. BJP, which has come ahead in the number game, has now strengthened its claim for the post of Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the Standing Committee. In most administrative and financial matters, proposals are presented in the House of MCD only after the approval of the Standing Committee. Even though the post of Mayor of MCD is with Aam Aadmi Party, BJP will emerge as the power center and the formation of two power centers of two opposing parties is said to have an effect on the functioning of MCD.
A situation of power game will be created in MCD too
The tussle between the Delhi government and the Lieutenant Governor is well known. The Lieutenant Governor keeps blaming the Delhi government while the Kejriwal government keeps blaming the Lieutenant Governor. After the BJP’s majority in the Standing Committee, now there will be two centres of power in the MCD as well and in such a situation it is being said that a situation of power game will be created in the MCD as well. This can also affect the assembly elections.
What will be the impact on assembly elections
Delhi Assembly elections are due early next year. Regarding the councillors leaving the party, Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva said that we have been seeing for the last 10 years how the corruption-ridden Aam Aadmi Party government is stopping development work. We will serve the public along with the colleagues who have decided to join the BJP. The councillors who left the Aam Aadmi Party also said – We are joining the BJP being troubled by the corruption of the top leadership and being influenced by PM Modi’s public dedication.
Also read: AAP gets a jolt due to defection of five councillors, BJP touches magic number in standing committee elections
Corruption: The way the councillors as well as the state presidents of BJP and Congress have cornered the Aam Aadmi Party on the issue of corruption, the indications are clear that the opposition parties will make corruption a big issue in the Delhi elections.
Mistrust of leaders: Leaders leaving the Aam Aadmi Party may set the narrative that Delhi’s ruling party and its leadership are no longer trusted by its own leaders.
Cleanliness: In Delhi, cleanliness comes under MCD. BJP was in power in MCD. Now Aam Aadmi Party is in power in MCD as well. In such a situation, Aam Aadmi Party will have to answer on issues like cleanliness.