AAP ends 15-year BJP rule n MCD

In the 250-member municipal corporation, AAP, BJP and Congress win 134, 104 and nine seats respectively

- SATVIKA MAHAJAN

NEW DELHI: The Aam Aadmi Party on Wednesday won the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) elections, which turned out to be closer than expected, with 134 seats, ending the 15-year rule of the Bharatiya Janta Party in the civic body. The BJP bagged 104 seats while the Congress was reduced to nine in the 250-member municipal corporation. Three seats were won by independent candidates.

Delhi Chief Minister and AAP Convener Arvind Kejriwal celebrated this win by terming it as “an affirmation for his party’s positive honest politics”. He thanked the Delhiites and vowed to improve civic amenities in the national capital.

“People of Delhi have now entrusted their son to clean Delhi and rid MCD from corruption, I won’t let them down. Thank & congratulate the people of Delhi for this historic mandate; now we all have to come together and make Delhi clean and beautiful,” he said. He sought the “blessings” of the Centre and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to achieve that.

In a closer-than-expected contest, the BJP, which bucked the trend predicted by exit polls, put up a spirited fight, winning 104 municipal wards, while the Congress managed to win just nine seats, down from 30 in the previous civic poll.