NEW DELHI: The Delhi unit of the BJP has alleged that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is running the House of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) in the same ‘arbitrary manner’ as the Delhi Legislative Assembly. Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor said that this year, due to the absence of an elected House, the Budget session of the MCD, which is spread over three months, could not be held and the Budget was passed by the corporation officials themselves.
“In the meanwhile, the corporation elections were held but still the elections for Mayor and the standing committee kept getting postponed,” he said. Kapoor said that after taking oath, Mayor Shelly Oberoi was aware that the departmental proposals of the Budget passed by the MCD officials were to be discussed and the Budget approved, but she did not pay any heed to it. “Instead of calling a meeting of Budget allocations in the public interest, she was busy postponing the Standing Committee elections, trying to get the appointment of aldermen cancelled and supporting the corrupt leaders of her party,” he alleged.
He said the Mayor had arbitrarily sent a notice to the councillors calling a House meeting at only three days’ notice. The BJP spokesperson said that it is regretful that the Mayor called a meeting of the councillors at such short notice. “It is clear from this that the ruling Aam Aadmi Party does not want to give a chance to the Opposition to bring written Budget amendments which is the time was not given as per the guidelines,” he said. He added that many funds had been increased in the 2023-24 Budget made by the officers, but most of the allocations have been made keeping in mind the revenue interests rather than the public interest.
‘MCD officials dealt with Budget directly’
Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor said that this year, due to the absence of an elected House, the Budget session of the MCD, which is spread over three months, could not be held and the Budget was passed by the corporation officials themselves. “In the meanwhile, the corporation elections were held, but still the elections for Mayor and the Standing Committee kept getting postponed,” he added.
