EDMC commissioner on leave before impeachment?

New Delhi: 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-half-day 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.