16 IVP councillors join BJP in Delhi CM Rekha Gupta’s presence

New Delhi, July 10 (PTI) Sixteen councillors of the Indraprastha Vikas Party, a breakaway faction of the AAP, merged with the BJP on Friday in the presence of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Delhi BJP president Harsh Malhotra. Welcoming the Indraprastha Vikas Party (IVP) councillors into the BJP, Gupta said they took a big decision keeping in mind Delhi's development. “It’s a good signal that will speed up development in their wards,” Gupta told a press conference. “Development of the city is the top priority of the BJP government. The joining of the IVP councillors will further strengthen the BJP in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, and boost civic work in their municipal wards,” she said. Malhotra said the IVP was formed around one-and-a-half years back by councillors led by Mukesh Goel and Hemchand Goel, who witnessed the “lack of development” under the AAP mayor in Delhi. The IVP councillors also took membership of the BJP after joining the party, Malhotra said. PTI VIT ARI