Leader of the Opposition in the Delhi Municipal Corporation (MCD) and former Mayor, Sardar Raja Iqbal Singh, has criticised the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for allegedly employing various electoral tactics to obstruct the formation of the Standing Committee and hinder Delhi’s development.
He claimed that while the Municipal Secretary has announced the dates for the Ward Committees’ elections, AAP leaders are attempting to delay the process by using their councillors as pawns.
Iqbal Singh accused AAP of deliberately delaying the Ward Committees’ elections with baseless excuses. He mentioned that as the nomination period for the Ward Committees draws near, AAP councillors are feigning illness to stall the elections, but he vowed that the BJP would not allow this to happen.
He further expressed the BJP’s support for the Municipal Commissioner’s prompt action in setting the election dates, noting that this issue has been unresolved for a year and a half due to AAP’s interference. Singh stated that the BJP would be filing nominations for its candidates on Friday and is confident of winning in all 12 zones.
Iqbal Singh also highlighted that the absence of Ward Committees in the MCD has severely hampered Delhi’s development and municipal services. He accused AAP of fostering corruption at the ward level and suggested that the party aims to perpetuate this corruption by delaying the formation of the Ward and Standing Committees.
He pointed out growing discontent among municipal councillors over the repeated postponement of these elections, which was evident in the Municipal House, where AAP councillors expressed their frustration with their MLAs and the Mayor.
Singh emphasised that AAP has shown no interest in Delhi’s development, citing their 18-month delay in forming the Standing Committee, which has stalled progress in the city. He also blamed AAP for deteriorating Delhi’s cleanliness.
Initially, AAP challenged the election of three BJP members to the Standing Committee in the High Court but lost. They also contested the appointment of aldermen by the Lieutenant Governor in the Supreme Court, where the court upheld the Lieutenant Governor’s decision.