Ruckus in MCD as BJP demands floor test, claims AAP no longer in majority

Stormy scenes in the civic body on Monday.
| Photo Credit: SHIV KUMAR PUSHPAKAR

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) House witnessed ruckus on Monday with the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) demanding a floor test and the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) accusing it of “murdering” the Constitution.

As soon as the proceedings started, the House witnessed sloganeering by members of both parties. Soon after, the BJP councillors tore the agenda papers and climbed onto tables.

The BJP, which secured 104 out of 250 wards in the 2022 civic body polls, has repeatedly claimed that AAP, which had won with 134 seats, has lost the majority in the House.

Owing to the defections from AAP and the February 5 Delhi Assembly election, which saw several sitting councillors becoming legislators, both parties now have 115 councillors each in the 238-member House. The eight remaining councillors belong to the Congress.

The anti-defection law, which punishes individual MPs and MLAs for leaving one party for another, is not in force in the MCD.

Leader of the Opposition Raja Iqbal Singh accused councillors of the ruling party of undermining the House’s dignity.

“Since AAP came to power in the MCD three years ago, there has been no development work in residential areas, nor has there been any discussion on the subject in the House,” he said.

Mr. Singh added, “It is the ruling party’s responsibility to run the House. However, senior AAP leaders have been disrupting the proceedings.”