The political circle in the capital is abuzz with apprehensions of next year’s MCD elections not being held at all, after the Delhi government constituted a political committee on restructuring of the civic body. The Delhi government has three instances of the MCD being kept without political leadership, after it was administered directly by the municipal commissioner for over 12 years since 1975 in the absence of elections.
Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit’s move to constitute a political committee on restructuring and subsequent critical comment on financial health of the MCD have set in apprehensions in both Congress and BJP leaders that the next year’s civic body might not be held. Under the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, 1957, MCD elections may not be held on the grounds of financial irregularity or poor financial health. If the Delhi government decides to restructure the MCD into smaller units, then the elections could not be held on the pretext that first the process of division be completed, stated a senior Congress leader. The MCD had been without elections three times earlier too, that is in 1975, 1980 and from 1990-97.
The fear of the MCD elections not being held next years has in fact gripped the state BJP leadership, which is caught in a bind whether to let two of its leaders take part in the political committee or not. Senior Congress leaders are of the opinion that the party might not wrest back power from the BJP if the elections were held next year, which would go against the ruling party in the Delhi government when Assembly elections are held one and a half years later on.
“The view in the party is that since the intent of the chief minister is clear to restructure the MCD, then what is the point in holding elections without completing the process of division of the civic body. The political committee, too, will not submit its report in a hurry and by the time it does so, the elections will be too near,” added the senior Congress leader.