New Delhi: After Aam Aadmi Party's rout in the recently concluded Delhi Assembly elections, its councillors have now started switching over to the BJP.
On Saturday, AAP councillors Ramchandra from Bawana, Anita Basoya, Nikhil Chaprana and Dharamvir Singh joined BJP. It is believed this will help BJP in the upcoming mayor election in April. of the 14 MLAs nominated by the Assembly Speaker to Municipal Corporation of Delhi, 13 will be now from the BJP. This has increased the number of BJP councillors in the House to 116. On the other hand, 11 seats of councillors will fall vacant with eight from BJP getting elected as MLAs. Similarly, three AAP councillors have been elected as MLAs.
The MLAs will have to resign from the post of councillor before taking oath. One seat is already vacant due to Kamaljeet Sehrawat becoming an MP. Therefore, now there will be a total of 238 councillors left in the 250-member House. Out of these, 116 are with BJP and 114 with Aam Aadmi Party. At least 14 MLAs, seven Lok Sabha MPs and three Rajya Sabha members will also vote in the Mayor election. In such a situation, with 116 councillors, seven Lok Sabha MPs and 13 MLAs nominated by the Speaker of the Assembly being from BJP, the strength of BJP has gone up to 136.
Out of the three Rajya Sabha MPs of Aam Aadmi Party, it is less likely that Swati Maliwal will vote for the party in the Mayor election. There is a strong possibility of Swati voting for BJP's candidate. In such circumstances, BJP seems to have a strength of 138 for the Mayor election. On the other hand, with 114 councillors, one MLA and two Rajya Sabha MPs in favour of Aam Aadmi Party, its strength will be 117.
It is speculated that more Aam Aadmi Party councillors may join BJP by the Mayor elections in April. Even if all eight Congress councillors vote for Aam Aadmi Party, it would not be able to manage more than 125 votes.
