BJP not to field sitting councillor to curb nepotism, says Manoj Tiwari

Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Manoj Tiwari on Tuesday declared that his party would not give tickets to any sitting councillor for the upcoming Delhi civic bodies elections.

Tiwari said 'new faces' will be introduced during the process of giving tickets for the municipal corporation elections in a bid to curb 'parivaarwad' (nepotism).

Tiwari justified the move, saying the saffron party would encourage new faces, who have worked at the grass-root level, in the MCD polls.

"Dynasty politics will not be entertained and people having political patronage will not be encouraged. The party has taken the decision unanimously," he added.

When asked about Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's demand of ballot paper usage instead EVMs, Tiwari said: "If Kejriwal ji does not have faith in EVMs then let us have re-polling on the 67 assembly seats he won."

The Delhi Municipal Corporation elections will be held on April 22 and counting for the same will be held on April 25.

Meanwhile, State Election Commissioner S.K. Srivastava said that Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) would be used in the upcoming elections in Delhi.

Kejriwal has written to the Election Commission not to use EVMs and rather conduct the polling through ballot system.

This comes following allegations from few politicians that the EVMs could be tampered with.

After the Uttar Pradesh Assembly election results on March 11, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati had accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of tampering with the EVMs and demanded a fresh poll through ballot papers.

Mayawati also said that she would write to the Election Commission to conduct fresh polls in the state.

The poll panel has started sending requisitions to various departments of Central and state governments including civic bodies to spare their employees for the same.