MCD elections: Vote for honest administration, garbage-free Delhi, appeals Kejriwal
What's the story
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) urged people of Delhi to vote for an "honest, working administration" and a clean city as the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) polls began in the national capital on Sunday morning.
The Chief Minister of Delhi Arvind Kejriwal urged electors to vote for an honest party, while his deputy Manish Sisodia urged voters to vote for a "garbage-free" city.
Context
Why does this story matter?
The MCD elections have a total of 1,349 candidates, including 709 women and 640 men.
The AAP and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are the main contenders.
Notably, the BJP has been in charge of MCD for the previous 15 years.
The civic body might see an interesting tussle, with the AAP hammering the BJP on cleanliness issues and waste piles on dumping sites.
Details
'Election is to make Delhi clean, beautiful'
"Today's election is to make Delhi clean and beautiful, to make the civic administration corruption-free," Kejriwal tweeted in Hindi, minutes before polling began.
"I appeal to all Delhi residents to cast their vote today to elect an administration that is honest and performs," he said.
"Vote for those who work, not for those who block work," he added.
Twitter Post
Kejriwal tweets in Hindi
साफ़-स्वच्छ और सुंदर दिल्ली बनाने के लिए आज मतदान है, नगर निगम में एक भ्रष्टाचार मुक्त सरकार बनाने के लिए मतदान है।
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) December 4, 2022
सभी दिल्लीवासियों से मेरी अपील- दिल्ली नगर निगम में एक ईमानदार और काम करने वाली सरकार बनाने के लिए आज अपना वोट डालने ज़रूर जाएँ।
Reaction
Deputy CM Sisodia's 'heaps of garbage' message to Delhites
Sisodia also encouraged electors to vote for a clean and garbage-free city adding that the outcome of this vote will set the tone for good maintenance of the nation's capital.
"The weather is nice. I would appeal to people to queue up and cast their votes. Facing this minor inconvenience is better than waking up to heaps of garbage every morning," he told NDTV.
Contest
Its AAP vs BJP in civic polls
In Delhi's 250 wards, about 1.45 crore people are reportedly eligible to vote for councilors.
It is the first MCD election after the Delhi Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Act, 2022, which consolidated the three civic bodies of the national capital into one.
Notably, the AAP poll campaign was aimed at BJP due to the fact that the contest is majorly bipolar.
Issues
Sanitation, garbage key issues in polls
Poor sanitation and garbage have surfaced as major issues in this election, with CM Kejriwal touring the garbage mountains in the national capital. The AAP has also targeted the BJP on multiple occasions in an attempt to gain control of the local body from the saffron party.
Despite being in single digits in the Assembly, the BJP kept control of the municipal government.
Information
BJP's significant win in 2017
The BJP defeated the AAP and Congress in the 2017 municipal corporation elections, gaining 181 of the 270 wards. For the current polls, the votes will be counted on December 7 to reveal the fate of 1,349 candidates contesting the election.