Candidates from the AAP, BJP, and Congress on Friday filed their nominations for the zonal level ward committee elections with the Municipal Secretary for the post of chairman, deputy chairman, and standing committee member.

The ruling AAP has fielded 33 candidates in 11 of the 12 zones, barring Keshav Puram zone while the opposition BJP has fielded 30 candidates in 10 of the 12 zones, barring City SP Zone and Karol Bagh. The Congress, which has only nine Councillors in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), has fielded candidates from Shahdara South Zone.

Meanwhile, two AAP Councillors, including Prem Chauhan and Tilotma Chaudhary, withdrew their pleas from the Delhi High Court seeking deferment of the MCD ward committee elections, slated to be held on September 4, even as AAP and the BJP have claimed that councillors from the other side are ready to defect.

The AAP councillors had sought the rescheduling of the elections, alleging that sufficient time was not given to file nominations for the polls to elect the chairman and deputy chairman of 12 zonal ward committees and a member from each of these panels for the MCD Standing Committee. The last date to file nomination is August 30.

Chauhan has filed his nomination for standing committee member from South Delhi zone, while Chaudhary has been fielded from Najafgharh Zone for the post of deputy chairman of the ward committee.

Former DCW member and AAP councillor Promila Gupta is also in the fray for standing committee member from the Civil Lines zone. Punardeep Singh Sabby, son of AAP MLA Parlad Singh Sawhney, has been nominated for standing committee member from the City SP zone.

Leader of Opposition Raja Iqbal Singh is contesting for the post of standing committee member from the Civil Lines Zone. He was a former Mayor of North Delhi before the municipality’s unification in 2022.

The BJP has also fielded Pawan Shehrawat and Sugandha, the councillors who recently switched sides from the AAP, for the post of chairman for the ward committee from Narela and Central Zone. Former East Delhi Mayor Neema Bhagat is contesting the polls for the post of standing committee member from Shahdara South Zone.

Congress has nominated Haji Zarif for the post of zonal chairman, Nazia Khatoon for zonal deputy chairman, and Sabeela Khatoon for standing committee member in Shahdara South zone.

Meanwhile, a senior functionary from AAP said that six councillors are expected to join the party in the next couple of days. The party had received a setback when five of its councillors had joined the BJP on Sunday.

However, one of the councillors Ramchandra returned to AAP on Thursday. “There are some councillors from the BJP who will join our party in the next few days. Two of our councillors are returning to the party fold while at least four BJP councillors are likely to come to us,” he added.

The anti-defection law, passed in 1985, is not in force in the MCD and punishes individual MPs and MLAs for defecting. A senior Delhi BJP functionary said the councillors who wanted development of their respective wards were looking towards the BJP since “corruption” of AAP has hindered working of the civic body.

“There are many councillors of AAP who are frustrated with the working of the party and looking to leave it at the first chance. Our doors are open for those who wish to work for Delhi’s people,” he added.

The civic body on Wednesday announced the date for the long-pending ward committee elections, essential for the formation of the standing committee, MCD’s highest decision-making body which is important for approving proposals involving expenditures of Rs 5 crore and above. The ward committee elections will be held across its 12 zones through secret ballot.