New Delhi, April 29: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has secured victory in the election for the new mayor of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD). In the voting and counting held on Wednesday, BJP candidate Pravesh Wahi emerged victorious.
A total of 165 votes were cast in the Delhi mayoral election, with the BJP receiving 156 votes, while the Congress candidate garnered 9 votes.
Wahi’s win was largely anticipated due to the BJP’s significant majority and the absence of a challenge from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). With this, Pravesh Wahi has been elected as the new mayor of Delhi without any contest.
The MCD mayoral election involved 273 voters, including 249 councillors, MPs, and 14 MLAs nominated by the Delhi Assembly. The BJP holds approximately 141-143 votes, while the AAP has around 106 votes. The Congress had nominated Haji Zarif as its candidate, but the BJP’s numerical strength made its victory almost certain. A minimum of 137 votes was required for a candidate to win.
Pravesh Wahi is a three-time councillor from the Rohini E ward and currently serves as the leader of the house in the MCD. The BJP announced his candidacy for the mayoral position on the last day of nominations, April 23, along with Monica Pant as the deputy mayor candidate and others for various positions.
While filing his nomination, Wahi expressed gratitude to the party’s top leadership, stating, “We will work with full dedication to make Delhi clean, beautiful, and better.” Given his experience, both the party and the Chief Minister have shown confidence in him, anticipating better coordination between the Centre and the MCD.
Wahi has ties to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and enjoys strong support in the Rohini area. Since the BJP won 123 councillor seats in the 2022 MCD elections, he has been playing an active role. Discussions have also arisen regarding his assets and educational qualifications, but his political experience makes him a suitable candidate for the position. The mayor’s term lasts for just one year.
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