Row Over Delay In MCD Poll Dates Continues

Slamming the BJP over the delay in the announcement of Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) elections, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Friday asked the Bharatiya Janata Party not to cry like Congress.

“Stop crying like Congress. If you have the courage then don’t run away, fight (contest MCD elections) with us. It will be a big achievement for you if you will be able to get even 10 seats,” said Sisodia.

Sisodia’s comment came after Union Minister Smriti Irani accused the Delhi government of depriving the MCD employees of Rs 13,000 crores.

Her statement comes after Kejriwal held a press conference earlier in the day expressing disappointment at the postponement of municipal corporation elections in the national capital, stating that doing so “weakens the democratic system.”

“Today Kejriwal held a presser (on MCD polls delay in Delhi) I want to ask him… Does he know that Nagar Nigam had sought reforms last year? Delhi government has purposely deprived MCD employees of Rs 13000 crores. Kejriwal chooses to empty the Nagar Nigam treasury,” Irani said while addressing a press conference here today.

The Union Minister also said that Kejriwal should deposit Rs 13,000 crores in MCD’s bank account.

Earlier, State Election Commissioner SK Srivastava said that the Centre has deferred the announcement of polling dates for the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) election after the central government raised a few issues that are yet to be legally examined by the Election Commission.

He also informed that the Centre was planning to introduce a bill in the budget session of Parliament to unify the three municipal corporations of Delhi.

He further said that they were about to announce the dates, but now it will take another five to seven days to announce them. (ANI)