BJP gears up for MCD bypolls; aims to win at least 10 of 12 vacant wards

New Delhi, Oct 30 (PTI) The BJP has begun preparations for the Municipal Corporation of Delhi bypolls, aiming to win at least 10 of the 12 wards where voting is due to be held on November 30, party leaders said on Thursday.

Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva on Wednesday announced the appointment of election coordinators and ministers-in-charge who held meetings with local leaders in the wards, as well as presidents of the district party units concerned.

"We will soon announce candidates for all 12 wards. The BJP held nine of these 12 wards earlier, and now our goal is to wrest at least 10 of them," said a senior Delhi BJP functionary.

The bypolls will be held at Mundka, Shalimar Bagh-B, Ashok Vihar, Chandni Chowk, Chandni Mahal, Dwarka-B, Dichaon Kalan, Naraina, Sangam Vihar-A, Dakshin Puri, Greater Kailash and Vinod Nagar wards.

Rekha Gupta represented the Shalimar Bagh-B ward, and she relinquished it after winning the Assembly polls earlier this year and became Delhi's chief minister. Dwarka-B ward was vacated by the BJP's Kamaljeet Sehrawat after getting elected as MP from the West Delhi Lok Sabha seat.

The remaining wards were vacated after the sitting councillors from the BJP and AAP became MLAs following the assembly polls in February this year.

Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa will be in charge of Mundka and Ashok Vihar wards, Culture Minister Kapil Mishra of Shalimar Bagh and Vinod Nagar, Social Welfare Minister Ravindra Indraj of Chandni Mahal and Chandi Chowk, Health Minister Pankaj Singh of Dwarka B and Dichau Kalan, Home Minister Ashish Sood of Naryana and Greater Kailash, PWD Minister Parvesh Verma of Dakshinpuri and Sangam Vihar A, said a Delhi BJP statement.

The Delhi State Election Commission announced that nominations for the bypolls will begin from November 3. The last date of filing of nominations will be November 10, and the scrutiny of nomination papers will take place on November 12.

The last date of withdrawal of nomination will be November 15, it said. Voting for the bypolls will be held on November 30, and results will be out on December 3. PTI VIT VIT NSD NSD