Delhi: MCD House adjourned without electing mayor amid clashes between AAP-BJP

The newly elected MCD House was adjourned without electing the mayor and the deputy mayor amid loud protests by AAP councillors over the elected councillors not be administered the oath first in the maiden meeting.

New Delhi:The maiden meeting of the newly elected MCD House (Municipal Corporation of Delhi) was adjourned without electing the mayor and the deputy mayor amid clashes between the councillors of BJP and AAP on Friday. Thereafter pandemonium broke out in the corporation hall as the rival councillors levelled allegations against each other. The AAP councillors alleged that the BJP members threw a memento while the BJP councillors say the AAP leaders are scared.

Amid unruly scenes, the MCD House meeting has been adjourned for the day. The next date will be announced later, BJP councillor Satya Sharma, the presiding officer overseeing the process, said. Chaos ensued during the first meeting as AAP councillors and MLAs raised slogans and entered the well when BJP councillor Sharma began administering oaths to the 10 aldermen. The AAP councillors and MLAs protested over the elected representatives not being administered oath first.

The BJP councillors retaliated by raising slogans against AAP and its convener Arvind Kejriwal. Amid the chaos, both sides also alleged manhandling by the opposite camp. The meeting began with Sharma being administered the oath as presiding officer for the elections to the posts of MCD mayor and deputy mayor. After Sharma invited alderman Manoj Kumar to take oath, AAP MLAs and councillors began to protest. Many also rushed to the well of the House, shouting slogans.

In the melee, the oathtaking was stopped and the meeting disrupted as the AAP councillors stood on the tables, including those of the presiding officer. The BJP councillors also gathered around and exchanged heated words with their AAP counterparts. "The House was adjourned for one hour. Four aldermen took their oaths. We will resume the meeting soon and the rest of the aldermen will take their oaths first," Sharma said.