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<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\nVibha Sharma<\/span>New Delhi:<\/span> BJP<\/a> Wednesday wrested control of two MCD zonal ward committees that were considered AAP strongholds in MCD.Of the 12 zonal ward committees that went to the polls, BJP now controls 10 and AAP 2.For AAP, the setback will bite more as some of its councillors allegedly cross-voted in the City Sadar Paharganj and West zones. Minutes before polling for City Sadar Paharganj, its outgoing chairperson and AAP councillor Vikas Tank joined BJP in the presence of Delhi BJP president Harsh Malhotra. AAP lost the chairperson posts in both the zones, despite having numerical majority.BJP got an additional boost when, according to sources, several Congress<\/a> councillors also voted in its favour. In the south zone, where BJP and AAP had 10 councillors each, two Congress councillors allegedly voted for BJP, tipping the contest in its favour. Congress had usually abstained from elections in the past. No comment came from the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee on this matter.AAP now has chairpersons in only two \u2014 Rohini and Karol Bagh \u2014 down from four last year. BJP has chairpersons in 10 zones. These are Keshavpuram, Narela, Civil Lines, Central, West, South, Najafgarh, City Sadar Paharganj, Shahdara South and Shahdara North.Reacting to Tank\u2019s switch to BJP, AAP councillor and leader of opposition in MCD, Ankush Narang said his defection would make no difference. \u201c If the BJP is engaging in horse-trading, they should declare it upfront. Otherwise, it appears they are intimidating people.\u201dThe party also reacted strongly to Congress councillors allegedly voting for the BJP in the MCD ward committee elections. An AAP functionary remarked that, once again, the Congress party\u2019s hand was seen aligning with the BJP in Delhi, adding that the Congress had previously contested the Assembly elections in alliance with the BJP\u2014helping them win\u2014and was now facilitating a BJP victory in the MCD.For the first time in 24 years, a BJP member has become chairperson of the City Sadar Paharganj zone. Cross-voting by two councillors then enabled BJP candidate Usha Sharma\u2019s win as chairperson. Till Tuesday, AAP had seven councillors, BJP four, and the Forward Bloc one in the zone. However, the BJP candidate secured seven votes, while five went to AAP.AAP\u2019s deputy chairperson candidate, Shamim Bano, was elected unopposed.\u201cThe ward committee elections marked a historic day not only for the Delhi BJP but also for the people of Delhi, especially the residents of Old Delhi,\u201d Malhotra said.In the west zone, AAP had 13 councillors against the BJP\u2019s 12. But BJP’s Harish Oberoi secured 14 votes, while AAP got 11. AAP retained the deputy chairperson\u2019s post.BJP narrowly missed victory in Rohini by a single vote. AAP has 11, the BJP 10, and Congress two councillors here. AAP\u2019s chairperson candidate Pushpa secured 12 votes, while BJP got 11. In the standing committee elections, AAP contested three of the six vacant seats but got only one. Five seats went to BJP. AAP\u2019s Rajan Arora was elected unopposed from Karol Bagh.The committee now has 12 BJP members and six AAP members.<\/div>\n