Sheila gets poll-ready, takes BJP head on

With an eye on the upcoming municipal elections, Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit on Monday accused an NGO run by Delhi BJP president Vijender Gupta's wife of "wrongdoings". HT reports. Councillor report card

With an eye on the upcoming municipal elections, Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit on Monday accused an NGO run by Delhi BJP president Vijender Gupta's wife of "wrongdoings".

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Dikshit alleged that NGO Sampurna took huge grants from the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and Delhi government's social welfare department, but submitted a false affidavit (on utilisation of funds).

"If I am accusing someone, it is on the basis of something… I am sure the media will soon manage to get supporting documents (to substantiate the claim)," the chief minister said in a press conference.

When asked why Delhi government had not taken any action against the NGO when it was so sure of the misuse of funds, Dikshit said the government would look into it.

Sampurna president Shobha Vijender, however, refuted Dikshit's allegations and threatened to file a defamation case against her.

"This is not the first time the Congress has targeted Sampurna. A senior Congress leader had also called a similar press conference two days before the parliamentary elections, but failed to produce any documents to support his claims. The same trick has now been adopted by Dikshit," she said.

While Delhi BJP has been running a campaign against the Congress in Delhi and at the Centre, Dikshit's press conference is being seen as the first counter-offensive move by the Congress party in the Capital ahead of the municipal elections.

The Delhi BJP recently took out a 14-day long 'rathyatra' in the city to highlight the corruption in Delhi and the Centre under the Congress rule.

Dikshit also accused BJP of corruption within the MCD, while pointing out ghost employees' scam and irregularities in appointment of teachers.

"Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones at others. The BJP should look within. It should not forget that four to five MCD engineers are under the CBI net for corruption," Dikshit said.