Saturday 7th Dec, 2024
The BJP has been in power for 10 years in municipal corporations. Both the terms were riddled with allegations of mismanagement and corruption and workers’ strikes. Why should the people give you another chance?
It is Delhi’s misfortune and BJP’s as well. It is a fact that BJP is in power for 10 years, but it was unfortunate that either Congress or Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) was in power in Delhi. It is also true that municipal corporations are autonomous bodies but they get funds through the state government. AAP and Congress have played politics and not release funds to the civic bodies.
Delhi’s total budget is Rs 48,000 crore. Of this, Rs 9,000 crore should have been allocated to the municipal corporations. But they received only Rs 2,800 crore. Still, we developed parks, initiated English-medium education in municipal schools, replaced streetlights with LEDs and built a medical college. CCTVs are also being installed in schools.
Political opponents are challenging you to name one outstanding achievement of the municipal corporations in the last 10 years.
The MCDs have improved the conditions of parks. If Arvind Kejriwal will visit the municipal parks regularly, his cough will be cured.
Your manifesto says the Centre will send direct funds to civic bodies. Why didn’t you seek this intervention last year when sanitation workers were on strike and Delhi’s roads were littered with garbage?
Yes, we will put a system in place that MCDs should get their funds without any obstacles. The sanitation workers went on strike as they didn’t get salary (on time). The state government should understand their pain.
If the MCDs have really performed well despite adverse conditions, why did the party deny tickets to all sitting councillors?
We have raised our bar after 2014 (when Modi became the PM). They (the councillors) should have performed better. Though corruption charges are wrong, we have in fact, promoted few councillors. They have been made general secretaries. Also, grassroots workers should be rewarded, so we introduced new faces.
What new will the BJP do if it comes to power in the MCDs for the third term?
We will ensure adequate funds to municipal corporations and effective solid waste management. In the coming years, we will recycle garbage and produce electricity. We will make Delhi a dhalao-free city. Just by being in the municipal corporations, we can’t claim that we will make Delhi a world class city. But over next one and half years, you will see a completely different and better city to live in.