NEW DELHI: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councilor Mahesh Khichi was elected as the first Dalit Mayor of Delhi on Thursday, defeating BJP‘s Kishan Lal.
Khichi received 133 votes, while Lal secured 130 votes. Two votes were declared invalid.
The eight Congress councillors chose not to participate in the voting process.
“The challenge is to work in the service of the people of Delhi – the way Arvind Kejriwal has done the work for the people of Delhi. My priority will be to work for the cleanliness of the city,” Khinchi said.
The counting of votes for the deputy mayor election is currently underway.
Khichi will succeed Shelly Oberoi who assumed the office in 2023.
These elections, which had been delayed since April due to a prolonged battle of words between the AAP and BJP, saw the Congress boycott the voting, demanding a full term for the mayor instead of the shortened tenure now on offer.
Khichi’s tenure will last only five months, as the election had been postponed since April.