BJP’s objections stall Chandigarh mayor’s freebies plan
The BJP councillors have been targeting the mayor for first holding the budget meeting and then scheduling the special House meeting without constitution of the finance and contract committee whose recommendations are required for all budgetary allocations
Facing strong objections from the BJP, AAP mayor Kuldeep Kumar Dhalor has put the special House meeting, convened to announce freebies for city residents, on hold.
The BJP councillors have been targeting the mayor for first holding the budget meeting and then scheduling the special House meeting without constitution of the finance and contract committee (F&CC) whose recommendations are required for all budgetary allocations.
As a result, with the F&CC election coming up on March 11, the mayor has deferred the special House meeting until then, while accusing the BJP of creating hurdles in the corporation’s functioning.
Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, the mayor is planning to announce 20,000 litres of free water to each household every month and free parking at city markets, both part of AAP’s manifesto ahead of the 2021 MC elections.
To table these agendas, a special House meeting was called on March 7, a day after the budget session on March 6. “We have decided to drop the plans to convene special meeting till the F&CC elections. The BJP is creating unnecessarily obstacles in the corporation’s working. Even when we held the budget session legally, they are raising objections. The BJP does not want the INDIA bloc to initiate development works in the city ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. They are making every possible effort to obstruct us till the code of conduct is enforced,” said the mayor.
AAP had also tabled the agenda for free water in November 2022, but it was not passed and has remained in limbo ever since.
Officials hindering MC’s work: Mayor
The mayor also accused MC officials of hindering the city’s development works “at BJP’s behest”.
Releasing a statement, he claimed, “Recently, three letters were issued by the mayor’s office to MC officials regarding the budget session, special House meeting and F&CC elections, out of which, officials took action on two letters only and the special House meeting was stalled.”
He said all officials and elected representatives should support each other for the welfare and development of Chandigarh. “This type of obstruction should not be created. Chandigarh has already become infamous for irregularities in the mayoral elections. We should work together to make Chandigarh the best city in the country.”
