Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate Mahesh Khichi was elected as Delhi's next mayor on Thursday, providing the ruling party in the national capital with a significant boost ahead of the assembly elections early next year. The Dalit candidate Khichi, fielded by Arvind Kejriwal's party, defeated the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Kishan Lal by a narrow margin of three votes, though two votes being declared invalid almost resulted in a tie.
Khichi received 133 votes, while Lal received 130 votes. Two votes were declared illegal. Eight councilors from Congress did not take part in the voting process. Due to the prolonged verbal clash between AAP and BJP, Congress boycotted the voting, demanding a full term for the mayor rather than the proposed shorter term.
A total of 265 votes were cast during the mayoral election
Indeed, 265 votes were cast during the mayoral election, with two ruled invalid. A dramatic twist occurred: 10 councilors from AAP engaged in cross-voting. The Aam Aadmi Party received 132 votes. However, the BJP also secured 132 votes, but two were declared invalid. Elsewhere, following the Congress's demonstration, one councilor, Sabila Begum, stopped and voted for AAP, bringing its tally to 133. Consequently, BJP garnered 130 votes while the Aam Aadmi Party amassed 133 votes.
AAP Already Feared Cross-Voting
The Aam Aadmi Party was already apprehensive about potential cross-voting. During ward committee elections, AAP encountered cross-voting in three zones, with some councilors voting for BJP candidates instead of their own. In the South Zone, their candidate nearly lost. And now, in the mayoral election, despite expecting a neck-and-neck fight, AAP managed to secure around 10 additional votes. However, this advantage didn't benefit BJP, and AAP's candidate won the election by 3 votes.
Who is the New Mayor of MCD?
After former Social Welfare Minister Rajkumar Anand, Aam Aadmi Party's search for a prominent Dalit face concluded with Mahesh Khichi. Councilor Mahesh Khichi from Dev Nagar Ward 84 in the Karol Bagh Assembly constituency holds a B.Com degree from Motilal Nehru College, Delhi University. Professionally, the 45-year-old Mahesh Kumar describes himself as a financial advisor.
Stay tuned for more on this intense political contest and the implications of this pivotal victory for AAP's broader political strategies.
