The AAP (AAP) has slammed Chief Minister Rekha Gupta for refusing to give councillors a budget of more than ₹25 lakh, calling it a deliberate attempt to cripple the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD). Leader of Opposition (LoP) in MCD House, Ankush Narang, said the Chief Minister made this clear during a New Year lunch at her residence, advising councillors to rely on their MLAs instead, a move that will halt local works and will be opposed from the streets to the House.
Addressing a press conference, MCD House LoP Ankush Narang stated, “On Sunday, CM Rekha Gupta hosted a lunch at her residence for BJP councillors on the occasion of the New Year. During this lunch, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta openly stated that councillors would not be given a budget of more than ₹25 lakh. She also said that councillors do not even need a budget. She told the councillors to maintain good relations with their MLAs and to get work monitored through the MLAs to see whether work is being done or not, but made it clear that councillors would not be given a higher budget.”
He continued, “Even BJP councillors are disappointed by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta’s statement that councillors will be given only ₹25 lakh. By saying that councillors will be given a minimal budget, the BJP CM is attempting to paralyse the MCD. People in an area approach their councillor the most and have the highest expectations from the councillor to get their work done. Now, if the BJP government itself does not give any budget to councillors, how will they be able to work?”
Recalling BJP’s promises of better governance, Ankush Narang said, “From the very beginning, the BJP claimed that if it formed the government in Delhi along with the MCD, excellent work would be done. That is why the people of Delhi gave the BJP a ‘four-engine’ government. But now, if the BJP government does not give any budget to councillors, how will they function? In comparison, the AAP government was far better. During the AAP government, a lot of work was carried out through councillors. Even in the Standing Committee meetings of the House, the anger of BJP councillors is clearly visible because their work is not getting done and they are not being given budgets.”
Terming the Chief Minister’s statement as deliberate sabotage, he added, “The Chief Minister clearly stating that councillors will not be given any additional budget is a BJP attempt to ensure that the MCD cannot function properly and becomes defunct. The AAP strongly opposes Chief Minister Rekha Gupta’s statement. AAP has 101 councillors who are also accountable to the public. The AAP will strongly oppose the BJP policy of denying budgets to councillors, from the House to the streets, and will ensure that councillors get their rightful dues from the Delhi government.
