AAP volunteers seek report card from BJP, Congress councillors

NEW DELHI: Municipal elections are months away, but the Aam Aadmi Party volunteers have hit the streets posing questions to the councillors of the ruling BJP and

NEW DELHI: Municipal elections are months away, but the Aam Aadmi Party volunteers have hit the streets posing questions to the councillors of the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress about their performance and that of the civic bodies.

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AAP volunteers held protest marches in several municipal wards across the city on Sunday, targeting the sitting councillors over “corruption” in the civic bodies and its “lack of delivery” on its core job—providing sanitation.

The BJP has been in power in the three municipal corporations over the past nine years, while the Congress has been the principal opposition.

“Of late, the party leadership has been receiving feedback from MLAs and other local volunteers about people’s complaints against functioning of MCDs. The maximum complaints have been about lack of sanitation and hygiene in residential areas. So all party legislators, including ministers, have been directed to organise protest march in their areas, seeking report card from the area councillor,” a senior AAP leader said.

Party volunteers held such marches in several constituencies including Patparganj, Rohini, Burari, Karawal Nagar, Rohini and Shakur Basti. Party leaders said all municipal wards will be covered over the next two months. Sources said the party is closely monitoring these protests on ground.

“Unlike the BJP and Congress, AAP has a well laid system of monitoring work of its legislators. So it’s nothing new on that front,” a senior leader said.

North, South and East Delhi Municipal Corporations are scheduled to go to polls in April-May. While AAP made an impressive debut in the civic body bypolls earlier this year, winning five of 13 seats, the results were below par going by the historic landslide in favour of the party in assembly polls, just about a year ago. While the Congress was able to make a “return” of sorts by winning four seats, the BJP won the rest.

Party leaders, however, say the ‘double anti-incumbency’ being faced by the BJP and Congress’ ‘failure’ to contribute constructively in terms of a strong opposition will help AAP win the municipal elections too.

“BJP will go into the elections with a decade-long anti-incumbency. In addition, their councillors would have their own share of anti-incumbency as these elections are held at local level. For the Congress, its councillors will prove to be a liability as they have neither raised people’s issues in the House nor have been effective on the ground,” a senior AAP leader said. He said infighting in Congress leadership will make things even more difficult for the party.