New Delhi: The high-decibel campaign for high-profile MCD elections in the national capital ended on Friday with the BJP seeking another term in office and AAP and Congress seeking a change.
All political parties campaigned hard for the elections with the issue of cleanliness in the city figuring prominently in the political discourse.
The BJP, which has governed the civic body in Delhi since 2007, is looking to maintain its winning streak while the Aam Aadmi Party, which has a majority in the Assembly, is looking to make inroads in the first municipal election in the capital after the delimitation of wards.
BJP leaders Nitin Gadkari, Meenakshi Lekhi, Piyush Goyal and Hardeep Singh Puri campaigned for the party.
Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) along with 50 other trade associations of Delhi have declared their support for Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the upcoming municipal polls.
The high-stakes polls to the 272-ward Municipal Corporation of Delhi are due on December 4 and the votes will be counted on December 7.
Delhi Police is working round-the-clock to ensure peaceful and orderly conduct of the polls.
“Delhi Police intel wing is working with special branches and central agencies. Minute-to-minute policing is being done and we’re working 24 hours to prevent law and order situation and have a fair and free election,” Dependra Pathak, Special Commissioner of Police, (L&O), Zone-1, told ANI.
He said Delhi Police is fully prepared for the MCD polls.
“Keeping every small detail in mind we have planned the security arrangements. Pre-polls, during the polls and post-polls, three phases will have three different kinds of security deployment,” he said.
Earlier today, Special CP (Law & Order) Sagar Preet Hooda said that all arrangements have been made in regard to security and surveillance by the Delhi Police for the MCD polls.
“Delhi Police’s arrangements are sufficient. There will be a total of 30,000 jawans on duty out of which 16,000 would be Delhi Police jawans and the rest would be outside forces,” he said.
The senior officer said Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) jawans and home guards will also be deployed.
Point-to-point planning has been done, Hooda said, adding that security forces will keep a watch with the help of drones. “Around four to five drones have been assigned to each district.”
The elections to the 250-ward Municipal Corporation of Delhi are seeing high-pitched contests between the BJP, which currently holds the reins of the civic bodies in the national capital, and the AAP, besides the Congress.
The national capital’s Excise Department has announced dry days from Friday evening till the completion of voting.
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