Open to debating MCDS’ unification: BJP

THE BJP is ready to discuss whether the three municipal corporations in the capital should be merged into one, the party’s Delhi unit chief Satish Upadhyay said Wednesday. Upadhyay, a former chairperson of the South Delhi Municipal Corporation’s standing committee, said, “If the objectives of trifurcation have not been met, then we can debate unification.”

The BJP leader — who released the party’s manifesto for the civic by-polls scheduled to be held on May 15 — said the party was not going to make “any lofty promises”. Pointing out that the councillors elected in by-polls would only be in office for a year, Upadhyay said the party “has restricted itself to five main areas of concern” for each of the 13 wards.

“The circumstances of these polls are important. The MCDS have suffered in the last one year because of the AAP government. There has been a fund crunch, there have been three strikes and the people of Delhi have also suffered,” he said.

Brushing aside concerns of anti-incumbency as the BJP has held power in the municipal corporations for over nine years, he said, “We have nothing to worry about”.

The manifesto includes promises to set up schools, addressing drainage issues, maintenance of parks, construction of toilets, prioritising sanitation issues and waiving penalties on property tax.

The Congress, which had released its manifesto for the bypolls Monday, had made similar promises. Delhi Congress chief chief Ajay Maken had said that according to surveys done by the party, the results of the bypolls were likely to be “surprising”. “There is tremendous enthusiasm for the Congress in all 13 wards as the party has an excellent track record of governance in the MCDS and in the Delhi government,” he said.