53 candidates remain in fray for MCD bypolls after scrutiny

New Delhi, Nov 12 (PTI) Fifty-three candidates, 26 of them women, remain in the fray after scrutiny of nominations on Wednesday for the November 30 MCD bypolls to 12 wards.

A total of 133 nominations had been filed for the bypolls.

Eight candidates, the highest, are in the fray from Naraina ward.

These eight include one candidate each from the Bharatiya Janata Party, Aam Aadmi Party, and Congress, while the rest are independents.

The Communist Party of India has fielded its sole candidate from Vinod Nagar, with five more candidates in the field from other parties.

Five women are in fray from Shalimar Bagh-B ward, earlier held by Rekha Gupta, who relinquished it after being elected an MLA and subsequently made the chief minister.

The last date for withdrawal of candidature is November 15. Polling will take place on November 30, and counting of votes will be held on December 3.

The BJP previously held nine of the 12 wards of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi that fell vacant as the sitting councillors were elected MLAs after the assembly polls in February. The remaining three were held by the AAP.

The BJP has begun its election campaign with a series of organisational meetings, it said in a statement.

From Tuesday, all its candidates will begin door-to-door campaigns in their wards, it said.

Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva, MP Praveen Khandelwal, Minister Ravinder Indraj Singh, and Election Convenor Shri Pankaj Jain attended the inauguration of the election office of BJP candidate Samun Kumar Gupta, who is contesting from Chandni Chowk Ward 74.

Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee president Devender Yadav inaugurated the election office of Sumita Malik, Congress candidate from Dwarka-B ward. PTI SLB VN VN