BJP will sweep MCD by-elections to 12 wards on Nov 30: Virendra Sachdeva

New Delhi, Oct 28 (IANS) Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva on Tuesday expressed confidence that the party would sweep the by-elections to 12 vacant wards of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi to be held on November 30.

The first political contest since the Assembly elections in February is being seen as a referendum on the performance of the BJP-led MCD and the Delhi government led by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta. The result of the civic by-elections will be announced on December 3.

Sachdeva said that the by-election results will be one-sided and in favour of the BJP.

He said that over the past eight months, the people of Delhi have witnessed how, following the formation of the BJP’s “triple-engine” government, Delhi’s development, maintenance, and administrative systems have taken a new direction.

“Triple engine” is a term used by BJP leaders to refer to the BJP-led elected dispensations in the Central government, the Delhi government and the MCD.

After the establishment of the triple-engine government, the new momentum in Delhi’s development and maintenance, the excellent arrangements made for Kanwar and Chhath festivals, and the decision to conduct artificial rainfall to reduce pollution have deeply impressed the people of Delhi, said Sachdeva.

“Therefore, in the upcoming by-elections, the people will vote overwhelmingly in favour of the BJP,” said the Delhi BJP President.

The wards on which by-elections will be held include Vinod Nagar, Mundka, Shalimar Bagh-B, Greater Kailash, Ashok Vihar, Chandni Chowk, Chandi Mahal, Dwarka-B, Dichaon Kalan, Naraina, Sangam Vihar-A and Dakshin Puri.

Nine of these 12 wards were previously held by BJP councillors, and three were represented by Aam Aadmi Party leaders. Eleven of the 12 wards fell vacant after the sitting councillors were elected to the Delhi Assembly. The Dwarka-B ward fell vacant when Kamaljeet Sehrawat was elected to the Lok Sabha last year.

According to the by-election schedule announced by the State Election Commission (SEC), the notification for the by-elections will be issued on November 3, followed by the filing of nomination papers between November 3 and 10. The last date for withdrawal of names will be November 15.

“The Model Code of Conduct shall come into force in the... (vacant) wards with immediate effect and shall continue to remain in force till the completion of the election process,” the SEC said in a statement on Tuesday.

Earlier in the afternoon, Sachdeva led party leaders and workers in cleaning the Yamuna banks where the Chhath festival concluded on Tuesday morning.

Sachdeva, along with Delhi Mayor Sardar Raja Iqbal Singh, launched a symbolic campaign for cleaning all natural and artificial Chhath Ghats built on the Yamuna banks by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi by doing Shramdaan.

“We have given four working days to the MCD for cleaning all the Chhath Ghats, and all the MPs, MLAs and councillors of the BJP present in Delhi are encouraging the Corporation workers by running a symbolic campaign on the ghats,” said the BJP leader.

--IANS

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