BJP councillors from the North, East and South municipal corporations assembled in protest in front of the Delhi Assembly on Wednesday, demanding a release of funds, grants and “necessary lawful sanctions” by the government. Faced with an acute shortage of funds, the officebearers of the corporations said that municipal services are getting affected as the civic bodies are finding it difficult to meet their administrative expenses. They said that the government is “playing politics just to malign the public image of corporations and the BJP”. The mayors along with some municipal leaders also met Lt-Governor Najeeb Jung later in the day to demand his intervention in the matter. “We urged the L-G to direct the Delhi government to table the Statutory Report of the Delhi Finance Commission, 2013 in the Assembly. The report recommends 12.5 per cent share in Delhi government revenue for the three municipal corporations. If the Bill is tabled and the recommendations implemented it will be a huge help to the corporations,” North Delhi mayor Yogendra Chandolia said. [related-post] BJP leader in the Delhi Assembly Vijendra Gupta joined the protest before attending the Assembly session and assured them that the matter of municipal funds will be raised in the Assembly. However, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal blamed the “widespread corruption” within the MCDs for their financial state of affairs. “If the BJP cannot run the corporations, they should resign. AAP will take over, generate profits and provide salaries,” the CM said. He added that the civic bodies “have to take responsibility for their losses.” The three mayors — Yogendra Chandolia, Khushi Ram and Meenakshi — have blamed the “rigid” attitude of the Kejriwal government and said it is forcing the corporations to protest.
