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The political landscape of Delhi witnessed a significant development as the Congress party announced its decision to boycott the upcoming elections for the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD). This move stems from the Congress's dissatisfaction with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government's proposed limited tenure for the next Dalit Mayor, highlighting a growing rift between the two parties in the city's political arena.
The Congress, currently holding seven councillor seats, believes that a Dalit mayor should serve a full term, not the truncated four-month period proposed by the AAP. This disagreement was underscored by the vocal criticism voiced by Congress Councillor Nazia Danish and other party members during the session, who accused the AAP of neglecting the city's development and failing to uphold the rights of Scheduled Castes (SCs).
The boycott decision by the Congress underscores the contentious atmosphere surrounding the upcoming mayoral elections. The AAP, with its majority in the MCD, is expected to secure the victory, but the limited term for the Dalit mayor has sparked discontent among some sections of the city's population. The Congress, in its protest, seeks to amplify the concerns regarding the fairness and representation of the Dalit community in the city's political leadership.
The upcoming mayoral elections are set to witness a competition between the AAP's candidate Mahesh Khichi, a Devnagar councillor, and the BJP's Kishan Lal from Shakurpur. The race for the deputy mayor position involves AAP's Ravinder Bhardwaj from Aman Vihar and BJP's Nita Bisht from Sadatpur. The political landscape is further complicated by the participation of seven MPs from Lok Sabha (all BJP), three from Rajya Sabha (all from AAP), and 14 MLAs (13 from AAP and one from BJP) in the voting process.
The Congress boycott is likely to escalate the existing political tensions within the city, particularly regarding the representation and rights of Dalit communities. The outcome of the elections, and the eventual term of the new mayor, will have significant implications for the future direction of the MCD and the governance of the city.
Source: Congress Boycotts Delhi MCD Mayor Elections Amid Discontent with AAP Governance