BJP protests delay in election of Dalit Mayor

Bharatiya Janata Party leaders and councillors, under the leadership of Leader of Opposition of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) Raja Iqbal Singh and deputy leader Jai Bhagwan Yadav, protested outside the Mayor’s office at the Civic Centre on Wednesday, demanding immediate election of a Dalit mayor in the Delhi MC.

The Dalit mayoral election, initially scheduled for April, is yet to be conducted, a situation the BJP attributes to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

During the protest, BJP councillors raised slogans against the AAP and Mayor Shelly Oberoi, accusing them of being anti-Dalit. Singh asserted that the Mayor has “lost the right to occupy the seat” by denying the Dalit community its rightful representation.

He emphasised that AAP’s delay in appointing a presiding officer for the election reveals its lack of genuine intention to support Dalit candidates.

“The AAP claims their councillors are unavailable due to the festival season, but this is simply disappointing,” Singh stated. “While councillors should be ensuring cleanliness during Diwali, they are enjoying holidays elsewhere, leaving the public to cope with piles of garbage,” he added. Yadav claimed that the AAP’s failure to conduct the mayoral election is an injustice to the Dalit community.