The Hindu : New Delhi News : MCD polls decision soon

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Wednesday, Dec 20, 2006
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New Delhi

MCD polls decision soon

Gaurav Vivek Bhatnagar

Congress leaders, Delhi Government differ on the timing

NEW DELHI: A crucial meeting of the Delhi Congress leaders has been called at the All-India Congress Committee headquarters on Wednesday morning to take their views on the conduct of the upcoming Municipal Corporation of Delhi elections.

The meeting assumes significance as the party leadership in Delhi, most of the Members of Parliament and Ministers are in favour of the polls, but the Delhi Government has a different view on the subject.

According to sources, the Delhi Government has so far not shown any inclination towards conduct of the civic polls as it has been sitting over the report of the Delimitation Committee.

Instead of acting on the report and facilitating the way for the elections through re-delimitation of seats, the Law Department of the Delhi Government has been holding the report that had been forwarded by the State Election Commission to the Delhi Government in the first week of November.

"This is indeed strange since conduct of the elections in the new pattern would favour the Congress. While the BJP, given the present scenario, stands to sweep the polls on its own as per the old pattern of wards, if the new format is adopted and notified, the battle will become neck and neck," said a political observer.

The Delhi Congress is deeply divided over the timing of the elections.

The meeting chaired by the party general secretary in charge of Delhi, Ashok Gehlot, has been called to consider the views of the Chief Minister, all Ministers, MPs from Delhi and Delhi PCC president.

"The Delhi Government is of the view that the House should be dissolved and the elections delayed by at least six months by bringing in an amendment in Parliament. Those in favour of a delay feel it will give Congress time to improve its chances in the polls. By then the new Master Plan-2021 would also have been implemented, over a thousand unauthorised colonies would have been regularised and relief would have been provided to people suffering from sealing and demolitions. Since the BJP at present stands to gain in DDA colonies and trading areas in the heart of the city, it is being felt that a delay in the elections would prevent it from cashing in on the hurt feelings of the people," said a senior Congress leader.

Despite the poor poll projections for the party in Delhi at the moment, the party leadership believes that the MCD elections should be held on time at all costs. "A delay in elections goes against the very spirit of the democratic system," said a senior party leader.

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