High-stakes MCD polls: Schools, markets shut as Delhi votes today
What's the story
The polling for the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) began in the national capital on Sunday morning. The campaigning concluded on Friday evening, with all major parties, particularly the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and the Congress, making substantial attempts to lure voters. At least 250 wards are going to polls, where voters will decide the fate of 1,349 candidates.
Context
Why does this story matter?
There are a total of 1,349 candidates competing in the MCD elections, including 709 women and 640 men. The race is mostly between the AAP and the BJP. Notably, the BJP has headed MCD for the past 15 years. The civic body may witness an intriguing battle as elections are being held for the first time following the merging of Delhi's three municipal bodies.
Details
Polling underway in all 250 wards
Voting began at 8 am and will continue till 5:30 pm. Both the BJP and the AAP have fielded candidates on all 250 seats. Similarly, Congress had declared 250 candidates, however the nominations of three candidates were rejected. To recall, in the last municipal elections held in 2017, the BJP had won 181 wards, AAP 48 wards, and Congress 30.
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Other parties in the battle
Apart from the main parties, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), the Janata Dal-United (JDU), and the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) have also fielded their candidates. Government schools and markets will remain shut in the wake of polls.
Claims
Manifestos and promises
The ruling AAP has made the cleanliness of the city a major issue for the municipal elections. Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal also targeted the BJP fiercely over it. On the other hand, BJP has promised housing for the poor under the new master plan. The saffron party claimed the plan will benefit 1.35 crore residents, including 10 lakh slum dwellers.
Information
Crorepati candidates in the fray
Meanwhile, according to the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), 162 BJP candidates, 148 AAP candidates, and 107 Congress candidates in the MCD elections are crorepatis (individuals with total declared assets of Rs. 1 crore or more). The average asset of a contesting candidate is Rs. 2.27 crore, compared to Rs. 1.61 crore for candidates in the 2017 municipal elections, it said.
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Tight security around polling stations
According to the reports, nearly 40,000 police officers, 20,000 home guards, and 108 companies of paramilitary and state armed police forces have been deployed to guarantee the smooth conduct of the MCD election today.