NEW DELHI: AAP MLA and MCD in-charge Durgesh Pathak on Wednesday said that the party will sweep the civic body polls and will implement the ‘Delhi model’ into it. Pathak also ruled out any competition from the Congress, saying that the Delhiites have forgotten whether the party even exists. AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal had earlier this month launched the party’s 10 guarantees for the MCD polls.
One of the party’s guarantees is that it will improve the condition of schools and hospitals that come under the Municipal Corporation of Delhi. Talking about how the plan will be implemented, Pathak said that the party has it all charted out in an SOP, which includes the implementation of its ‘Delhi Model.’
“There are garbage mountains everywhere and BJP has done nothing about it in the last 15 years. Landfill sites in Delhi can be removed easily. All you need is the will to do it. We will implement every policy in a time-bound manner. The MCD has done nothing for garbage mismanagement in the last 15 years and neither they are talking about it,” Pathak said.
In the 2017 civic body polls, the BJP won 181 of the 270 wards. No polling could be held on two seats due to the death of candidates. The AAP had won 48 wards, while the Congress managed to win 27.
Despite the 15-year-long hold of BJP over the civic body, Pathak asserted that people are “frustrated” with the saffron party as he criticised it over its handling of, among other things, garbage disposal.
“The Municipal Corporation in Delhi is in a bad condition and the situation has gone from bad to worse since 2017. Employees don’t get salaries on time, there is garbage mismanagement and people of Delhi are irritated with the BJP,” Pathak said.
The BJP and the AAP have been in a tussle over the issue of funds with the former many a time claiming that the Delhi government has not released funds for payment of salaries to its employees. “You can file an RTI (to find the truth about the allegations). More than Rs 10,000 crore loan was given to MCD by the Delhi government. This country works on the Constitution. Our forefathers have prepared proper guidelines for such issues and the court can ensure that such things don’t happen,” Pathak said