New Delhi: On the final day of filing nominations for the MCR by-elections, 133 candidates filed their papers. Polling in 12 wards is scheduled for Nov 30.According to the State Election Commission, 132 nominations were filed on Monday, and one on Nov 7. There are 59 male and 74 female candidates. The highest number of nominations came from the Naraina and Shalimar Bagh (women) wards, with 15 candidates each, followed by Ashok Vihar (women) and Chandni Chowk, which saw 14 nominations each. “Nominations will be scrutinised on Nov 12 and the last date for withdrawal is Nov 15. Counting will take place on Dec 3,” the commission said.The Indraprastha Vikas Party, formed after 15 councillors split from AAP and caused the party to lose its majority in the House, did not field candidates. Party leader Mukesh Goel said the party’s registration process was under way. “We have not done enough groundwork to contest this time,” he said.Delhi BJP stressed that the bypolls were not about forming or breaking a govt, but reinforcing public trust. Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said: “The people of these 12 wards will vote for BJP to strengthen our resolve of ‘Delhi Badlo, Delhi Sanwaro’.”Among BJP candidates, former councillor Suman Kumar Gupta filed from Chandni Chowk, Sunil Sharma from Chandni Mahal, Anita Jain from Shalimar Bagh-B, and Veena Asija from Ashok Vihar. Chief minister Rekha Gupta said BJP had nominated “devoted and diligent workers.” Calling the bypolls an opportunity to “advance Delhi’s vision of development and accountability,” AAP councillor and leader of opposition in MCD Ankush Narang said: “All AAP candidates are in the field with the resolve to make Delhi better, beautiful, and transparent.”The Congress is contesting on all 12 seats. Its leaders urged voters to “show the mirror to the arrogance of the deceitful BJP and the false AAP”. “People should vote keeping in mind the worsening sanitation, dangerous pollution, poor law and order, and heaps of garbage,” Delhi Congress president Devender Yadav said.
