BJP Wins Delhi Civic Body Panel Poll After AAP, Congress Stay Away

**BJP Secures Control of Delhi Civic Body Panel as AAP and Congress Stay Away from Voting** In a decisive turn of events, the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Sundar Singh Tanwar has been nominated to the 18th and final seat of the Delhi Municipal Corporation's Standing Committee. The election, held on Friday afternoon, saw only BJP councillors participating, with Tanwar securing 115 votes - the same number of BJP councillors in the House.

The outcome of the election means the BJP now has control over the Standing Committee, which holds significant authority and makes crucial financial decisions for the municipal body. The BJP currently has 10 members in the 18-member Standing Committee, allowing them to select the Chair. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which boasts 125 councillors, abstained from voting, despite having a strong chance of winning the election and securing control of the Standing Committee. The Congress, with nine councillors, also chose not to participate in the voting process. The turn of events unfolded after the AAP boycotted a late-night session summoned by Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena on Thursday, citing the election as "unconstitutional and illegal." Former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and party boss Arvind Kejriwal reiterated the party's stance, stating that only the Mayor has the right to call a sitting of the House and that a 72-hour notice period was required. Mayor Oberoi had also written to the Commissioner of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, claiming the election was "unconstitutional and illegal." However, Lieutenant Governor Saxena overrode the Mayor's order, directing the MCD Commissioner to conduct the election and submit a report by 10 pm on Friday. The election was the latest in a series of contentious squabbles between the AAP and Delhi's Lieutenant Governor, VK Saxena. The vacancy was created after BJP's Kamaljeet Sehrawat quit her position, having been elected to the Lok Sabha from the West Delhi seat in the April-June election. The outcome of the election is likely to be challenged in court, with many questioning the legitimacy of the process. The BJP's victory has significant implications for the municipal body, with control over the Standing Committee allowing them to shape key financial decisions and policies.