AAP, BJP, Congress raise questions on delimitation draft

NEW DELHI: Ahead of MCD polls, the three major political parties in the capital have shared their suggestions and objections with the delimitation panel and they have started gearing up for MCD elections, which could take place in December.
Delhi Congress has raised questions on the delimitation draft. A panel led by DPCC chief Anil Choudhry and other Congress leaders met members of the delimitation panel. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which is running the government in Delhi, has said that the delimitation of the wards of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi has been done in an illogical manner. Apart from this, AAP has also objected that the delimitation panel has shifted a block or street from one ward to another without any reason.
The BJP has also submitted objections on many points of the delimitation draft. According to BJP, in many Assembly constituencies, including Narela, Model Town, and Chandni Chowk, the distribution of wards has not been done in proportion to the population. Delhi BJP pointed out that many shortcomings have been found in the Enumeration Block (EB) of many wards. Different wards have been shown in the same block in many places. According to the rules, the Enumeration Block cannot be divided into two wards. BJP also complained about not including EB in the proposed ward in the draft.
The Congress has also raised questions on the draft report of the delimitation panel. Delhi Congress has said that there are many errors in the draft. The party has said that it is against the system in which reserve wards are reduced. Congress also said that if these errors are not removed, it will approach court.
Congress pointed out that the population of Dalits and minorities is increasing continuously, earlier 46 wards out of 272 were reserved. But in the draft of the new delimitation, the number of reserved wards has been reduced to 42.
A month ago, both Congress and BJP started a campaign against the liquor policy introduced by the AAP government. “Our ground cadre is working round the clock; this time people will show trust in the congress party,” a Congress leader said.
While talking with The Sunday Guardian, Anuj Attrey, spokesperson of the Delhi Congress, said the party has been preparing for this election for the last one year.
“We were ready for the election in February this year, but the BJP stalled the elections for their gain,” said Attrey. Congress thinks that anti-incumbency against BJP and AAP will help the party to make its way into the unified municipal corporation. “Sanitation, delayed salaries of MCD employees, ramshackle condition of MCD schools, dirty parks, increasing landfills and pollution will be the main issues,” said the Congress leader.