BJP: Centre may review trifurcation

New Delhi: The BJP will explore ways to bypass the Delhi government to push development in the national capital as it accused the AAP dispensation of stalling the city’s progress. BJP vice-president and in-charge of the party’s affairs in Delhi Shyam Jaju said that the Centre may also review the trifurcation of the city’s municipal corporation and whether the unitary structure can be revived.

He told the media that the party finalises its strategy to fight the impending election to the city’s three municipal corporations, all being ruled by it.

The BJP, which is in power at the Centre, has been ruling the local bodies for the last 10 years. “The Centre cannot give direct aid to the municipal corporations. It has to go through the state government. The kind of attitude this state government has shown, it has stalled Delhi’s development.”

“If the Delhi government continues this way, then how we can bypass it to give prominence to Delhi’s development is something we will think about,” he said.

The BJP will fight the civic polls “in the name of Delhi’s development and against the state government”. Asked about its key campaign theme, he said it will be “Sarkar ke khilaf, Delhi ka vikas (against the government, for Delhi’s development)”.

Asked if his party will consider reviving the earlier single municipal corporation, he said a debate has already started whether the earlier structure should be revived. He, however, added that any such decision should be taken by a committee.

“Just because a politician or government thought so, the municipal corporation was broken into three and now a debate has started whether one structure should be revived. Whether the purpose for which it was done was met or not.

“You cannot take such a decision in haste. It has long-term consequences. A committee should be there to evaluate all this. There can be a rethink,” he said.

Election to the three municipal corporations in Delhi (MCDs) — East Delhi Municipal Corporation, North Delhi Municipal Corporation and South Delhi Municipal Corporation — is likely to be held in April.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants to make Delhi an international city but the state government’s confrontational attitude is coming in the way, he said.

The Delhi government is full of inexperienced people who have no knowledge of law, governance and the Constitution and people are suffering from its consequences, Jaju said.

The Aam Aadmi Party wants to make its presence felt only by levelling allegations and attacking Modi, he said, accusing it of breaking all promises, like free Wi-Fi and providing guards in buses, it made to the city before it came to power.

The civic bodies have given relief in property tax rates, expanded use of Internet and pushed it income through advertisement, he said when asked about their achievements.