AAP mustering numbers in House to upset Cong in mayoral election
Despite getting 24 seats in the MC elections, the AAP is getting closer to proving its majority in the General House. As per the latest figures, the AAP claims that 36 members are with it. A BJP councillor from Ward No.27 joined the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) yesterday. Earlier, four Independent councillors had joined AAP last week. Now, the AAP claims the support of 36 members, including seven MLAs of urban constituencies, four Independents and a BJP turncoat. The Congress has the support of one Independent out of eight with their total number now at 41. In case of voting in the General House, the Congress leaders fear that some councillors from the BJP and SAD may vote for AAP. However, senior leadership of the Congress have been regularly meeting with party councillors to follow the high command’s decision on the Mayor unanimously. All the 41 elected councillors took a pledge to follow the high command’s decision in a meeting held with senior Congress leadership on Friday. There are two main factions in the Congress, one is led by former Deputy CM OP Soni and the other by Raj Kawal Preet Singh Lucky, former Leader of Opposition in the MC House and senior councillor.
While AAP has intensified the exercise to get its Mayor, BJP councillor Preet Kaur from Ward No.27 has joined the AAP. It is a major setback for the BJP too. The Congress now fears that if a few more BJP councillors join AAP in the next few days, then they would not be able to prove their majority. There are three Independent candidates, who haven’t revealed their cards yet. If these Independents join AAP, then the ruling party would reach a tally of 39. After this, the AAP will be close to getting a majority and will be just two votes behind the Congress.
“Senior leaders in the Congress are trying to keep their camp safe so that no party councillor votes against the party. However, there is factionalism in AAP too but when the party is in power, then it is easier to snub the rebels. Interestingly, after getting only 24 seats out of 85, AAP is now close to capturing the post of Mayor,” said advocate Kuljeet Singh, a political expert.
