The Aam Aadmi Party announced on Monday, April 21, that it will not contest the upcoming Delhi mayor and deputy mayor polls, which are scheduled for April 25, 25025, in the Municipal Cooperation of Delhi (MCD). "The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will play the role of a strong opposition in the MCD as well," said former CM Atishi during the press briefing.
Attacking the ruling party in the National Capital, Atishi said, "BJP did a lot of rigging during the MCD elections, but still it lost badly. Even after this, it did not stop, and all the councillors were poached." She said her party does not believe in the "politics of sabotage and horse-trading" and therefore they decided not to contest in the MCD elections.
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"Now the BJP should form its triple engine government and fulfil its promises made to the people of Delhi without any excuses," Atishi said.
APP's Delhi unit chief Saurabh Bharadwaj also attacked the BJP at the press conference beside Atishi and accused the saffron party of indulging in malpractice during the delimitation process. "The BJP had stopped the MCD election earlier too. Wards were shifted during delimitation. There was huge fraud and corruption during the process. Despite this, BJP lost the election and AAP formed the government," Bharadwaj said.
Bharadwaj claimed that BJP councillors have tried to disrupt MCD meetings. "After much drama by BJP councillors and ongoing defections, we have decided not to field our candidate this time," he said. The BJP's current strength in the MCD has increased to 119 following multiple defections from the AAP over the past few months. MPS and MLAS nominated to the MCD are eligible to vote in the upcoming elections.
According to a notice issued by the MCD Secretary's Office, the corporation will hold its ordinary meeting on April 25, with the elections for mayor and deputy mayor scheduled for 2 pm.