Date:08/04/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/04/08/stories/2006040816550400.htm

New Delhi

Farhat Suri files papers for Mayor's post amid drama

Staff Reporter

Councillor Ramesh Datta makes bid to "immolate" himself

NEW DELHI: In a surprise development, the Congress Councillor from Nizamuddin, Farhad Suri, on Friday filed his nomination papers for the post of Delhi Mayor.

High drama unfolded at the Municipal Corporation of Delhi headquarters in Town Hall at the time of Mr. Suri's nomination when senior party Councillor Ramesh Datta made an unsuccessful bid to "immolate" himself as he was upset over not being approved as the Congress' mayoral candidate.

Stunned

As the news spread in the morning about the approval of the name of Mr. Suri for Mayor, a large number of Congress Councillors were stunned, particularly those owing allegiance to Delhi Congress chief Ram Babu Sharma, who still enjoys a lot of clout in the civic body.

It also came as a setback for Mr. Sharma as Mr. Suri is said be close to Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit. As for Mr. Suri, his election for the post of Mayor will be smooth in the Congress-dominated MCD House.

While several Congress Councillors were almost certain about the re-nomination of outgoing Mayor Satbir Singh, who is close to Mr. Ram Babu Sharma, names of other candidates were also cropping up, particularly after Mr. Singh's continuous criticism of Ms. Dikshit in the past few months.

"It seems that Mr. Singh's repeated outbursts against the Chief Minister in recent months over the issue of demolition of unauthorised constructions in the city sealed his fate," said a senior Congress Councillor.

Later talking to media persons, Mr. Suri said his top priority as Mayor would be to resolve the issue of commercial establishments in residential areas by trying to impress upon the Delhi Government the need to initiate a concrete process to bring relief to lakhs of traders. Similarly, proper importance would be given to the education and sanitation sectors. He also lambasted Mr. Datta for the "shameful" act over the nomination process.

The election for the post of Mayor will be held on April 12. The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party has fielded Savita Gupta as its candidate.

Anita Babbar will be the Congress candidate for the post of Deputy Mayor against whom the BJP has fielded Surinder Singh. Ms. Babbar is also likely to win the election.

However, MCD Standing Committee Chairman Mukesh Goel, who had also joined Mr. Singh in criticising Ms. Dikshit, managed to secure his position in the powerful decision-making body and is expected to again hold the same position.

Other Congress Councillors who filed their nomination as members of the Standing Committee are Sanjay Puri, who is likely to become its Deputy Chairman, Brijmohan Sharma, Jitender Kochar, Vinod Goel, Ashok Vohra, Tarsem Bansal and Memwati Barwala, while Vijender Gupta is the only BJP councillor to file nomination for the post of the Standing Committee member.