Delhi Mayor Alleges 'Life Threatening' Attack: What Led To Ruckus at MCD House?

Clashes broke out after Oberoi announced that 1 vote cast during the election to the standing committee was invalid.

Delhi Mayor Alleges 'Life-Threatening' Attack: What Led To Chaos in MCD House?

(Photo: Ravi Choudhury/PTI)

Video Producer: Shohini Bose 

Video Editor: Rahul Sanpui

Chaos transpired in the MCD house on Friday, 24 February, with newly-elected Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi alleging that some Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) members had "inflicted a life-threatening attack on her."

Oberoi also claimed that another BJP councillor attacked her colleague Ashu Thakur.

How this started: Clashes broke out in the House after Oberoi announced that one vote cast during the election to the standing committee (an important panel with executive and financial powers) of MCD on Friday was “invalid."

What Went on: Voting began at around 11:30 am and counting began at 2:30 pm. At around 4:30 pm when Oberoi had just announced that one vote was invalid, BJP leaders started protesting and sloganeering.

AAP leaders responded in equal measure.

Later around 7 pm when Oberoi had barely started announcing the results, a full-blown fight broke out.

One councillor even ripped off the mayor's mike on the dais.

“At the time of declaration of results of the Standing Committee, BJP councillors made a fatal attack on me. I don’t know what would have happened if the women civil defence employees had not rescued me.”

Shelly Oberoi

How it ended:

• The Delhi Police ramped up security on the fourth floor of the Civic Centre where the MCD house is situated.

• All the lifts were blocked and people were restricted from entering the premises.

• The house resumed again at 9.05 pm. Oberoi later declared a re-election and adjourned the house till Monday.

• The BJP however, said that it would set in motion the dissolution of the MCD by asking the Ministry of Home Affairs to intervene. This will require civic elections to be held in the city once again.

• Meanwhile, police said that both sides have lodged a complaint regarding a marshal getting injured in the ruckus.