AAP says LG supported BJP in delaying mayor polls, demands his resignation

Aam Aadmi Party staged a protest outside the Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena's house here demanding his resignation for allegedly supporting "BJP's hooliganism" and delaying the mayoral polls

The Aam Aadmi Party staged a protest on Saturday outside the Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena's house here demanding his resignation for allegedly supporting "BJP's hooliganism" and delaying the mayoral polls.

Several AAP leaders including MLA Atishi and Durgesh Pathak gathered at Raj Niwas Marg with banners and raised slogans demanding LG's resignation.

"The order of Supreme Court on the Delhi mayoral poll is a tight slap on the face of the BJP. What the LG has done so far in Delhi is unconstitutional and after what has been said in the court order, the LG should step down," Pathak said at the protest.

The Supreme Court had ruled that nominated members of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) cannot vote in the mayoral election.

Pathak alleged that several decisions were taken by the LG "unconstitutionally" and that he also supported "BJP's hooliganism".

"First, the aldermen were appointed by the LG, bypassing the Delhi government. Then, they tried to get the aldermen to vote in the MCD house. After all this, shouldn't the LG of Delhi resign? This is the country of Gandhi, Nehru and Shastri. Such unconstitutional things cannot happen here," he said.

After the newly elected Delhi civic body failed thrice to elect a new mayor, the Supreme Court on Friday ordered issuance of a notice within 24 hours for convening the first meeting of the MCD to fix the date of Mayoral and deputy Mayor elections.

The top court's order came on a plea moved by the Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) mayoral candidate, Shelly Oberoi, seeking early conduct of the election.

The apex court on February 8 had sought the responses of the Lieutenant Governor's (LG) office, MCD's pro-tem presiding officer Satya Sharma and others on Oberoi's plea.