AAP's Mahesh Khichi Wins Delhi Mayor Race, Pledges Clean Capital

Mahesh Kumar Khichi from AAP has been elected as Delhi's new mayor, pledging to prioritize cleanliness. He edged out BJP's Kishan Lal by three votes. Khichi, from Karol Bagh's Dev Nagar ward, follows Shelly Oberoi and aims to continue serving Delhi citizens, emulating Arvind Kejriwal's work.

Mahesh Kumar Khichi, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate, emerged victorious in the Delhi mayoral elections held on Thursday, promising to focus on the cleanliness of the national capital. Representing the Karol Bagh's Dev Nagar ward, Khichi defeated the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Kishan Lal from the Shakurpur ward by a slim margin of three votes.

Out of a total of 265 votes, Khichi secured 133, while Lal received 130, alongside two invalid votes. Khichi succeeds Shelly Oberoi, another AAP member, who took office in 2023. In his victory address, Khichi emphasized his commitment to working for Delhi's citizens, following in the footsteps of AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal.

The election proceedings on Thursday afternoon were under tight security at the Civic Centre building. The previous day, BJP councillor and former East Delhi mayor, Satya Sharma, was appointed as the presiding officer by Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena. AAP's triumph marks the continuation of the party's control over the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, which began in December 2022, ending the BJP's 15-year tenure. (ANI)

(With inputs from agencies.)