BJP: CM skipping NDMC meetings affecting agenda

BJP members of the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) accused Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal of skipping or adjourning meetings, affecting policy matters. The NDMC rules state that if a member skips meetings for three successive months, their seat may be declared vacant. Kejriwal's office declined to comment on the allegations. NDMC Vice Chairman Satish Upadhyay claimed that Kejriwal's absence halted development works and affected employee welfare. Videos from the council meeting show Kejriwal leaving the meeting mid-way. The NDMC has instructed its legal department to submit a report on Kejriwal's absence.

New Delhi The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) on Wednesday witnessed heated exchanges at its monthly council meeting after Bharatiya Janata Party members accused chief minister Arvind Kejriwal of skipping the sessions or adjourning them mid-way, affecting policy matters in the New Delhi area.

A grab of the purported video posted by Kuljeet Singh Chahal on X (formerly Twitter).

HT reached out to the chief minister’s office and the Aam Aadmi Party, but officials declined to comment on the BJP's allegations.

NDMC rules state that if a member skips meetings during three successive months, the council may recommend to the Central government that the member’s seat be declared vacant. The civic body council has 13 members, and Kejriwal, as the New Delhi legislator, is an ex-officio member and presides over meetings in which New Delhi MP Meenakshi Lekhi is not present, including that on Wednesday. When both Lekhi and Kejriwal are not present, NDMC chairman Amit Yadav, a bureaucrat, presides over meetings.

Addressing a press conference, NDMC vice chairman Satish Upadhyay said the council in its Wednesday meeting approved only a few proposals due to Kejriwal leaving the mid-way. “This not only halts development works of New Delhi, but many matters related to the employee welfare are also hampered,” he said.

Accusing Kejriwal of regularly skipping council meetings, Upadhyay added, “The chief minister participates in the meetings only to prevent his expulsion, but he has no role in development works being taken up for his own assembly constituency. In the council meeting held today (Wednesday), the council members asked him questions regarding the increasing pollution and mosquito-borne diseases in Delhi, but the chief minister adjourned the meeting without providing any answers.”

Videos from the council meeting show BJP council member Kuljeet Singh Chahal raising questions regarding cases of stubble burning being reported from Punjab. In the video, Kejriwal is heard saying, “I will allow all these discussions but we must take the agenda first.” The CM later exits the meeting mid-way.

Speaking at the press conference, Chahal said instructions have been issued to the NDMC legal department to submit a report on Kejriwal’s absence in three previous council meetings, and a report is still awaited. “The chief minister only attends the third meeting in an attempt to avoid suspension,” he added.