NEW DELHI: Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday said the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) would quit politics if the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) election was held on time and the BJP won it.
Talking to mediapersons, the CM said, “They (BJP leaders) are postponing the MCD elections due to fear of losing. This is a clear-cut case of taking the country lightly. It is my appeal with folded hands to prime minister (Narendra Modi) that it is not necessary that BJP, AAP, Modi or Kejriwal remain there tomorrow, but the country should be safe. Do not play with the country.”
Kejriwal further said, “Are you playing with the system of this country just to win a petty election? What is this? This is not at all acceptable. BJP says it is the biggest political party in the world. But have you got frightened by a small party in Delhi? You got perturbed with a petty election? What courage do you have? Shame on you. I challenge BJP, if you have courage, hold the MCD election on time and win it. We will quit politics.”
Politics has heated up in the national capital following the Modi government’s move to merge the three municipal corporations into one.
The controversy started after the cabinet approved merger of the three MCDs into one on Tuesday. Congress has conditionally welcomed the move.
The amendment Act provides for a unified Municipal Corporation of Delhi by subsuming the existing three corporations. A bill will be introduced in Parliament for the merger.
The erstwhile Delhi Municipal Corporation was trifurcated into three - South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC), North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) and East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) -- in 2011 by way of the Delhi Municipal Corporation Amendment Act, 1911 (Delhi Act, 12 of 2011).
Government sources said trifurcation of the corporation was uneven in terms of territorial divisions and revenue generating potential of each body. “As a result, there was a huge gap in resources available to the three corporations, vis-a-vis their obligations,” a source said.
“The gap has widened over a period of time, increasing the financial difficulties of the three municipal corporations, leaving them incapacitated to make timely payment of salaries and retirement benefits to their employees and thereby creating serious impediments in maintaining civic services in Delhi,” the source further said.
Notification for the previous MCD election was issued on March 27, 2017, while polling was held on April 23, 2017. Counting of votes was undertaken on April 26, 2017.
In the North Delhi Municipal Corporation, BJP won 64 of the 104 seats, AAP won 21 and Congress was victorious on 16 seats. In the South Delhi Municipal Corporation, BJP won 70 of the 104 seats, AAP won 16 and Congress won 12. In the East Delhi Municipal Corporation, BJP won 47 of the 64 seats, AAP won 12 while Congress won three.
Congress’s point of view
Congress has taken a cautious stand over the proposed MCD merger. Talking to TOI, party leader Ajay Maken said, “While reserving my final comments till I carefully examine the draft bill, I would like to state that, first, consensus is that along with being administratively beneficial, unification of the municipal corporations will improve its financial position.”
Maken, a former president of Congress's Delhi unit, added, “Second, the Union government should have brought this bill at least six months earlier to prevent any delay in elections. Third, Delhi's AAP government cannot escape blame, as they had financially starved the municipal corporations for political reasons. And, fourth, the Union and state government should not enter into a new blame game and ensure MCD elections are held as soon as possible.”
