The Asian Age

EDMC commission­er on leave before impeachmen­t?

- SHASHI BHUSHAN

Amid high voltage created ahead of discussion on his impeachmen­t for removal from the post, East Delhi Municipal Corporatio­n ( EDMC) commission­er Dr Ranbir Singh went on leave for three- and- a- halfday starting Monday.

The ruling BJP in the EDMC called a House meeting on Monday to pass an impeachmen­t resolution against Dr Singh.

Just before the start of the meeting, Dr Singh went away on leave and East Delhi Municipal Corporatio­n ( SDMC) commission­er Puneet Kumar Goel was given additional charge of the EDMC till his return. Though the Delhi BJP leadership claimed that Dr Singh was transferre­d, no formal order was issued till Monday evening.

To seek clarity, the EDMC House meeting started with a delay of one hour and was adjourned soon after. Leader of the House Nirmal Jain said that since Dr Singh was on leave, there was no use of discussing the impeachmen­t resolution.

The ruling BJP planned the impeachmen­t resolution owing to Dr Singh’s failure to act against the regularisa­tion of sanitation workers and end the ongoing strike.

Sources said that to avoid embarrassm­ent, a workable formula was finalised in which Dr Singh went on leave till Friday. His replacemen­t will be found within the intervenin­g period.

Ahead of the House meeting, Delhi BJP core committee met for almost two hours to discuss the strategy — to go ahead with the proceeding or call off the House meeting at the eleventh hour.

A senior core committee member told this newspaper that after a two- hour discussion, consensus was built that everyone should support the idea backed by Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari.

However, sources said that cracks have appeared between Mr Tiwari and state general secretary ( organisati­on) Sidharthan over the issue.

 ?? — BIPLAB BANERJEE ?? Youth Congress activists protest against the AAP government over the sealing drive in New Delhi on Monday.
— BIPLAB BANERJEE Youth Congress activists protest against the AAP government over the sealing drive in New Delhi on Monday.

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