Congress announces support for AAP candidates in MCD mayoral polls

The Congress on Saturday announced that party councillors will support AAP candidates in the April 26 MCD mayoral polls.

AAP has fielded Mahesh Khichi for the post of mayor and Ravinder Bhardwaj for deputy mayor for the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) mayoral elections.

Former MLA Anil Bhardwaj -- the chairman of the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee's communications department -- said senior leaders held a meeting during which it was decided that the party would support the AAP candidates.

The decision was taken so that the people of Delhi are not troubled and their work gets done, Bhardwaj said at a press conference.

The Congress' Delhi unit chief Arvinder Singh Lovely directed the councillors to vote for the AAP candidates, saying the grand old party does not want a repeat of the Chandigarh mayoral elections, he added.

The Supreme Court in February declared AAP-Congress alliance candidate Kuldeep Kumar as the mayor of Chandigarh while setting aside the January 30 poll result. It had also ordered the criminal prosecution of the presiding officer for the polls for allegedly making a false statement before it and his "misdemeanour" during the counting of votes.

Bhardwaj further said the Congress' sole purpose is the smooth functioning of the MCD for the greater good of the people and, for that, it is necessary to ensure victory for the candidates nominated by the largest party in the House -- AAP, which is also its alliance partner in Delhi for the Lok Sabha elections.

Jitender Kumar Kochar, the Congress' in-charge in the MCD, said the party will, however, not shy away from raising its voice against the AAP if it fails to work in public interest.

AAP has also welcomed the Congress' decision to support its candidates.

Senior leader Durgesh Pathak, the AAP's MCD in-charge, expressed confidence that the alliance will win the polls by a huge margin.

"We welcome this move (of the Congress). Together, we will fight against dictatorship and a corrupt government. AAP and the Congress will together contest the MCD election and win the polls by a huge margin," Pathak said at a press conference.

AAP and the Congress are contesting the Lok Sabha elections in an alliance in Delhi.

The MCD on Friday sought the Election Commission's permission to conduct the mayoral polls and also urged Lt Governor VK Saxena to appoint a presiding officer, a civic body official said.

The municipal body is required to obtain permission from the Election Commission to hold the polls as a Model Code of Conduct is in force for the Lok Sabha elections.

The opposition BJP has fielded Kishan Lal for the post of mayor and Neeta Bisht for deputy mayor.