Ripples of decision felt at MCD

NEW DELHI: The reverberations of Delhi cabinet's decision to split the Municipal Corporation of Delhi were felt in MCD's headquarters at Town Hall. The BJP-ruled MCD and state BJP chief Vijender Gupta labelled the cabinet decision an attempt to weaken the Corporation and bring it under the state's control.
The BJP said that the Sheila Dikshit-led Delhi government's move is politically motivated and aimed at taking away "constitutional powers" of the BJP-ruled civic body."They have decided to split the MCD to get mileage in the municipal polls next year. We strongly oppose the move," Delhi BJP chief Vijender Gupta said.
"The state government had earlier decided to split MCD into five. Now it wants trifurcation. What is the logic behind this shift from five to three? It is all very confusing and we need answers. If they had to strengthen governance then they should have sought greater control on law and order and DDA which are under the Central government's purview. Merely splitting MCD will not be enough," he added.
Gupta said that they were not against restructuring of MCD for making it more efficient but were protesting against the way the state government has decided to do it.
Subhash Arya, leader of the house in the BJP-ruled MCD, said the decision of the state would take away the independence of the Corporation. "The split will turn the Corporation into an administration that will run on the whims and fancies of the chief minister," he said. Arya pointed out that under the proposed framework different political parties would come to power taking away the existing uniformity of the Corporation. Delhi Mayor Rajni Abbi too criticized the decision.
The BJP councillors pointed out that the proposal to enhance the powers of the commissioner and put the secretary urban development of the state in the coordinator's seat, the trifurcation plan will reduce the powers of the local body and make it an extension of the Delhi Government. They expressed concern that through the secretary urban development the chief minister will call the shots.