In a setback to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), BJP leader Kausar Jahan was elected as the Delhi Haj Committee chairperson on Thursday, February 16. She is the second woman to be elected to the post. However, it is the first time that AAP has lost control of the Delhi Haj Committee after coming to power.
She received three of the five votes cast by the committee members in the election held at the Delhi Secretariat. The committee consisted of six members, with two members each from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), as well as Muslim theology expert Mohammad Saad and Congress Councillor Naziya Danish. BJP MP Gautam Gambhir was also among the committee members.
Delhi BJP Working President Virendra Sachdeva said Jahan's victory shows the growing trust and faith of Muslims in the party. "Congratulations to Kausar Jahan on being elected as the Delhi Haj Committee chairperson. The victory of the BJP-affiliated candidate in the Delhi Haj Committee makes it clear that now the Muslim community is also eager to join the country's development stream Shri @narendramodi," Sachdeva said in a tweet in Hindi.
The three votes received by the BJP-affiliated candidate included those of Gambhir, Saad and Kausar herself. Danish abstained from voting. AAP MLAs Abdul Rehman and Haji Yunus are also members of the committee.
The Delhi Haj Committee had earlier become a bone of contention between the Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government and the Lieutenant Governor (L-G). The LG had announced the members of the Delhi Haj Committee that included a Congress Councillor, Naziya Danish, evoking sharp reaction from AAP which alleged a nexus between BJP and Congress ahead of the mayoral election of the MCD.
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal referred to the notification as "illegal" and said that it was issued without consultation with either government, and the proper process was not followed. BJP said all required processes were followed by the LG. Meanwhile, sources at LG office refuted the allegation, saying proper procedure was followed and Naziya Danish was not made chairman of the committee.
(With PTI inputs)
