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AAP MLAs ignoring Ludhiana, busy campaigning in poll-bound states: Opposition parties
Opposition leaders said development works have been hit as the Ludhiana civic body was facing a financial crisis
With political parties pulling up their socks ahead of the impending municipal elections, the opposition took a dig at the members of legislative assembly (MLA) from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for seemingly focusing all their attention to poll-bound states Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh at the cost of their own city.
Opposition leaders said development works have been hit as the civic body was facing a financial crisis and the AAP legislators, rather than taking up the issues at the state level, were busy campaigning for their party in other states.
They also slammed the AAP-led government for failing to even complete the pending road/street construction works, causing distress to the public, adding that the city residents will teach them a lesson in the upcoming elections.
Leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) councillors in MC general house, Sunita Rani said the financial condition of the civic body was getting worse by the minute. She said development projects have also taken a hit ever since AAP came to power, adding, “The contractors are complaining about the shortage of gravel as the government has failed to come up with proper mining policy.”
“Rather than roaming and campaigning in the other state, AAP MLAs should focus on improving the facilities in the city, which is troubled due to a number of issues like traffic chaos, shortage of funds with the civic body,” she added.
Similarly, district president of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and sitting councillor Harbhajan Singh Dang also lambasted the AAP MLAs for “running away” from their responsibilities.
“It is the responsibility of the MLAs to approach the state government and arrange funds for the development of the city. As per the MC officials, no additional fund has been sent by the state even as the civic body is struggling to even pay salaries to its staff. Not communicating the issues to the state government is the failure of AAP MLAs, who seem busy with assembly elections in other states,” said Dang.
Recently, MP Ravneet Bittu had also slammed AAP for failing to take up development in the city and trying to hog credit for works launched during the previous Congress government in the state.
Countering the allegations, AAP MLA (Ludhiana West) Gurpreet Gogi said they have been discussing all the issues being faced by residents of the city at the state level and are working to streamline the processes. He added that the party MLAs have only spent a handful of days in other states, accusing the opposition parties for spreading misinformation ahead of municipal elections.
