New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has once again secured its leadership in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) as AAP candidate Mahesh Khinchi emerged victorious in a closely contested mayoral election. Khinchi, representing Devnagar, Karol Bagh, defeated BJP’s Kishan Lal by a narrow margin of just three votes, marking AAP’s continued hold over the MCD leadership following Shelly Oberoi’s extended tenure as mayor.
Held on Thursday, the mayoral and deputy mayoral elections saw intense competition, with a total of 265 votes cast for the MCD Mayor position. Out of these, two votes were declared invalid, leaving 263 valid ballots. Khinchi captured 133 votes while Lal secured 130 votes, underscoring the tight race between the two candidates. The election brings Khinchi into office after months of delay that kept Oberoi in her position since her term’s official end in April 2024.
Election Delayed by Eight Months Due to Administrative Hurdles
The election for the mayor, originally slated for April 2024, had been postponed for over eight months. In April, both BJP and AAP put forward candidates, but administrative delays arose as the presiding officer returned the mayoral election file, citing a lack of recommendation from the Chief Minister. With then-Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal imprisoned at the time, no recommendation was made, resulting in the election delay and extending Shelly Oberoi’s term as acting mayor until a successor could be officially elected.
Annual Elections and Rotational Reservation System
MCD’s mayoral election is held each April, following the general elections of December 2022, where AAP won 134 out of 250 seats, marking a strong foothold. Dr. Shelly Oberoi first became mayor in February 2023 and was re-elected in April 2023. According to the MCD Act’s rotational reservation system, the mayoral post is reserved for a woman councilor in the first year, open for general candidates in the second, and reserved for a Scheduled Caste candidate in the third year. The final two years return to general category eligibility.
Congress Boycotts Voting, Key Members Absent
In a surprising development, seven Congress councilors, including Mandeep Singh, Vedpal Chaudhary, Ariba Khan, Nazia Danish, Sameer Ahmed, Nazia Khatoon, and Sheetal Chaudhary, boycotted the voting process, echoing similar disruptions seen in previous mayoral elections. BJP MP Manoj Tiwari attended and cast his vote, while Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal was notably absent, adding further intrigue to the proceedings.
With Mahesh Khinchi now at the helm, AAP continues its control over Delhi’s municipal governance, a symbolic win that reinforces the party’s influence as it navigates new leadership amidst Delhi’s complex political landscape.
