Less than six months are left for the Delhi Assembly elections, meanwhile the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has suffered a major political setback. It had 134 councillors in the Delhi Municipal Corporation, but now only 129 are left. Whereas the BJP has 112 members in the MCD House. Two days ago, Aam Aadmi Party-ruled Delhi Municipal Corporation Mayor Shaili Oberoi asked the MCD secretary to start the process of forming permanent committees, citing the Supreme Court’s latest decision. The next day, 5 AAP councillors joined the BJP. The Aam Aadmi Party is making a counter strategy.
It is reported that the top leaders of AAP are meeting to minimize the losses and decide on new responsibilities in view of the new developments. The discontent of AAP councillors has been visible on many occasions. Last week, during the MCD House meeting, Aam Aadmi Party councillor Preeti brought a separate chair to show her displeasure. She was displeased that public works were not being done in Dilshad Colony ward.
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That is why she brought a chair from her home to the meeting and waved a poster on which was written ‘Mayor listen to me, now I will not sit silently’. Ever since the announcement of the ward committee elections, a game of checkmate is going on between BJP and AAP. Both parties are facing the challenge of keeping their councillors in control. A councillor, on the condition of anonymity, said that the MLA of the area is interfering in the work of the councillors by saying that the MLA is also nominated in the MCD. Therefore, for work related to MCD, people should contact the MLA and not the councillor.
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This video of the councillor’s allegations went viral on social media. Although policies are made in the MCD House, the power to implement them lies with the MCD Commissioner. So, to whom should the disgruntled councillors explain their situation? In the last meeting of the House, for the first time in history, the councillors of the ruling party raised the issue of not constructing roads from the Mayor’s discretionary fund. AAP councillors reached the House with flex and placards and stood in protest in front of MCD Commissioner Ashwini Kumar.
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Mangalpuri councillor Narendra Girsa said that work is not being done in his area because the officers are not listening to him. He also met the mayor and informed him about the matter, but nothing came out of it. Aam Aadmi Party’s Trilokpuri councillor Vijay Kumar first showed rebellious attitude, then said in the House meeting that he had made a mistake. Vijay Kumar said that he is with the Aam Aadmi Party and will remain so. Congress councillors are in a wait and watch mode, while BJP councillors have started strategizing for the assembly elections to be held next year and are trying to put pressure on the Aam Aadmi Party.
Source (PTI) (NDTV) (HINDUSTANTIMES)