After the Cabinet decision to divide the MCD into five units came quickly, the city government is facing a roadblock with the Delhi unit of the Congress being unimpressed with the move. A Congress Legislative Party (CLP) meeting which was held at the residence of chief minister Sheila Dikshit remained inconclusive in taking forward the Cabinet decision with the Central government.
Delhi Congress in-charge Rao Birendra Singh has now called a meeting of all city unit party office-bearers on April 19 to solicit their views on the issue of splitting the MCD into five smaller bodies. Mr Singh had also attended the CLP meeting at Ms Dikshit’s residence.
The CLP meeting was apparently held to demonstrate the support of the MLAs for the Cabinet decision to split the MCD into smaller bodies. “Though a large number of MLAs supported the Cabinet decision, few legislators expressed their reservations against the move. Mr Singh at the end of the meeting said that he would hold a meeting with all the office-bearers on April 19,” said a senior Congress leader.
The political committee constituted by the Delhi government under the leadership of health minister A.K. Walia had submitted a proposal before the Cabinet that the civic body be divided into five smaller bodies on the basis of the recommendations of the Malhotra Committee. Though the Delhi Cabinet promptly gave its nod, the municipal councillors from the Congress rushed to the party high command against the move which was apparently also supported by the city unit of the party. Delhi Congress office-bearers are miffed for not having been involved in the decision-making process.
“Three ministers on their own took a decision without talking to any one in the party. The government can not claim to have a political consensus on the issue,” added the party functionary.