NEW DELHI: The State Anganwadi Workers and Helpers Union on Thursday announced its decision to boycott the upcoming civic polls and will campaign against the two major parties — BJP and AAP. The union will also refrain from voting for any candidate of the two parties.
The union has been vocal against both parties over the “abrupt” termination of 884 anganwadi workers. The 250-ward Municipal Corporation of Delhi goes to polls on December 4 and the results will be declared on December 7.
Shivani Kaul, president of the State Anganwadi Workers and Helpers Union, said all 22,000 aAnganwadi workers and helpers under its ambit as well as their family members would refrain from casting votes for AAP and BJP. According to her, the union would also launch a ‘vote bandi’ campaign against candidates of the two parties.
“Not only will the 22,000 anganwadi workers (in the union) not vote for either of these two parties but their families and friends will actively boycott them. We will also hold campaigns for a complete ‘vote bandi’ of these two parties,” the union president said.
She alleged that political parties had always “used” anganwadi workers and helpers as “vote banks” and “tools” in their campaigns.
Union is also agitated against the Congress as the senior party leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi represented the Delhi government in a case against the terminated workers at the high court. The union further stated that Anganwadi workers would not allow BJP and AAP leaders to campaign in their areas.
The union said the Delhi government issued termination notices to 884 Anganwadi workers and show-cause notices to another 11,942 for taking part in a 39-day strike to press for a hike in the minimum wage and respectable work hours.