BJP Alleges Cross Voting By AAP In Delhi Mayor Election

As the voting for MCD standing committee carried on till late on Wednesday amid adjournments, the BJP accused AAP of cross voting in the election for the posts of mayor and deputy mayor which underwent earlier in the day. 

The AAP rubbished the claim saying the question doesn't arise and what matters is that AAP won both the posts.

Delhi BJP Spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor claimed Aam Aadmi Party councillors "openly cross voted" in mayor and deputy mayor elections.

"There were 150 votes of AAP while two independents and one Congress Councillors openly announced their support to AAP taking their tally to 153 but party mayoral candidate Shelly Oberoi got just 150 votes.

"While BJP which had 113 votes got 116 votes in mayor election clearly showing three Aam Aadmi Party councillors voted for BJP today," Mr Kapoor claimed.

He also claimed that AAP councillors cross voted in favour of BJP in deputy mayor election as well. Aale Mohammad of AAP defeated BJP candidate Kamal Bagri by 31 votes in deputy mayor election.

AAP spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj hit out at the BJP saying its leaders were making "silly claims" after losing mayor and deputy mayor elections.

"Initially they said that the AAP is afraid of election of the mayor as cross-voting may take place and they may lose," he said.

"Now that the BJP has lost, it is coming up with these silly claims over cross-voting. Arguments regarding whose vote was declared invalid and who cross-voted is not so important. What eventually matters is that the AAP candidates became mayor and deputy mayor," he said.

Mr Bhardwaj asserted the AAP will eventually also have a majority in the standing committee.

BJP councillor Kamaljeet Sehrawat lodged a complaint with newly elected mayor, alleging that "unfair practices" were taking place with AAP councillors carrying mobile phones with them while casting vote in standing committee member election.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)