The recent MCD election ended the BJP's 15-year rule in the Delhi civic body. (File)
In yet another U-turn, the BJP has decided to contest the election against the Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP for the posts of mayor and deputy mayor in Delhi. After contrasting statements on different instances following its civic poll loss, BJP has finalised its candidates for the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) posts.
Rekha Gupta, a BJP councillor from Shalimar Bagh, has been chosen for the mayor's race while Kamal Bagri of Ram Nagar ward will fight for the deputy mayor's post.
The AAP, which now has maximum number of Councillors in the civic body, has announced Shelly Oberoi as its mayor candidate and Aale Mohammad Iqbal for the race for the deputy mayor's post. Ms Oberoi is a Councillor from East Patel Nagar and Ms Iqbal from Chandani Mahal.
The December 4 election ended the BJP's 15-year rule in the Delhi civic body with the AAP emerging victorious in 134 of the total 250 seats. The BJP finished second with 104 seats but the party's IT head Amit Malviya had suggested the mayor's election was still an open game.
"Now over to electing a mayor for Delhi. It will all depend on who can hold the numbers in a close contest, which way the nominated councillors vote etc. Chandigarh has a BJP mayor, for instance," he had tweeted.
Days later, BJP Delhi chief Adesh Gupta told NDTV that the next mayor will be from AAP as it had won the election. "BJP will play the role of a strong opposition in the MCD," he had said.
Elections for the posts of mayor and deputy mayor will be held on January 6.