In a closely contested election, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councillor Mahesh Khinchi from Karol Bagh’s Dev Nagar ward emerged as the new Mayor of Delhi, marking a historic milestone as the city’s first Dalit Mayor. Khinchi won by a slim margin of 133 to 130 votes against the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) candidate Kishan Pal. The election, held amid disruptions, saw Congress members walk out in protest over the limited five-month mayoral term.
In a twist, AAP’s candidate for Deputy Mayor, Ravindra Bhardwaj, won the position unopposed after BJP councillor Neeta Bisht withdrew her nomination. Bisht’s last-minute exit from the race cleared the path for Bhardwaj, a councillor from Aman Vihar Ward No. 41, to secure the post without contest.
The BJP later issued a statement alleging cross-voting by AAP members, claiming it highlighted dissatisfaction within AAP ranks. According to BJP representatives, eight AAP councillors voted for the BJP candidate, while two additional votes were declared invalid.
The election marked only a short five-month term for Khinchi, following repeated delays since April. Congress expressed dissatisfaction with the shortened tenure, advocating instead for a one-year term for Delhi’s first Dalit mayor. This stance led to the walkout by Congress members, although Councillor Sabila Begum of Mustafabad Ward 243 chose to remain and vote in favor of Khinchi, citing opposition to her party’s walkout.
Congress’s Mohammad Khushnood and his wife, Sabila Begum, announced their resignation from the Congress Party following the election, citing disagreement with their party’s stance on the issue. In her resignation letter, Begum stated that the walkout would only serve to benefit the BJP.
This election follows multiple postponements due to political tensions between AAP and BJP. The original delay was attributed to AAP’s boycott over candidate frisking procedures, as well as the judicial custody of then-Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in a separate excise policy case.
Sources By Agencies
