Sealing drive may hit 2019 poll fortunes, feel BJP leaders

New Delhi: Political slugfest over ongoing sealing drive in the national capital, in accordance to instructions of a Supreme Court-appointed committee, may adversely affect the saffron party’s prospects in the next Assembly and General Election in 2019, feel party insiders.

A similar sealing drive was carried out by the Congress in 2006 and the BJP took over the corporation the next year.

While political parties have come to the aid of traders who have been affected by the ongoing sealing drive, the saffron party has failed to chalk out its course of action.

The ruling AAP alleged that the BJP-ruled local bodies were harassing the traders in the garb of seeking conversion charges. The Congress also questioned the motive behind the massive drive.

Senior Delhi BJP leaders and office-bearers told this newspaper if sealing drive is not stopped at earliest, it will adversely affect the party’s prospect in the next Assembly and 2019 general elections. The party must a take a concrete legal steps to stop properties from being sealed to protect its political fortune, they added.

A senior Delhi BJP leader added that the state leadership has not even discussed its stand on the ongoing drive at the party forum.

“We are directionless on the key issue affecting people’s livelihood. In 2006, the party took a stand and openly opposed the sealing drive. Several party leaders also went to ‘jail’ for protesting against the drive,” he added.

On December 22, the BJP-ruled South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) sealed 51 properties in posh Defence Colony market on the direction of the monitoring committee for not depositing conversion charges as per provisions in Master Plan 2021. The SDMC on Tuesday carried out a similar drive in Chhatarpur and sealed a farmhouse and two marble shops.

Delhi BJP insiders said that there is no communication from any of top state leadership, including state unit president Manoj Tiwari, state in-charge Shyam Jaju or general secretary (organisation) Sidharthan, on the the sealing drive.

On Tuesday, Mr Tiwari met lieutenant-governor Anil Baijal and drew his attention towards the ongoing sealing drive and urged him to intervene in the matter.

He also requested the L-G to pave way for an amicably resolution of the problem.

A section of party leaders even questioned Mr Tiwari’s meeting with L-G. “Why Mr Tiwari’s meeting with L-G were kept behind the curtain. Party should came out in open and take a clear stand,” said a party insider. Attempt to contact Mr Tiwari on the issues raised within the party turned futile.