MC elections timed to win votes, impose taxes later: Congress

The Congress on Friday accused the SAD-BJP government of holding the municipal corporation elections three months in advance just "to impose taxes" later.

"When the term of the House was to expire in September, what was the hurry to conduct elections in June — three months ahead of the tenure? It was because the SAD-BJP government had ulterior motives to impose taxes after the June 10 polls and also to impose power tariff hike, long power cuts and what not," said Congress Legislature Party leader Sunil Jakhar who was in the city.

He added, "It was an election of convenience just to misguide people. The results would have been different if the elections were held two months later after imposition of taxes."

Addressing a dharna against taxes, Jakhar said that there was no Mayor in Ludhiana these days and for the past three months, the house had been in abeyance.

AICC spokesperson Manish Tewari said, "The state is blaming the Centre for no grants while all the projects are running with the help of the Central grants only. The city bus service where Rs 62 crore were given by the Centre and not even a penny was added by the state while the ambulance service is again funded by the Centre."

He added, "The state needs to answer as to where they have spent Rs 62 crore sent by the Centre which was for cleanliness of Buddha nallah."

Jakhar said, "Under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission(JNNURM) scheme, the state and municipal corporations are not contributing their shares.

So despite the sanctioned funds of the Centre, the state is not able to use the whole funds."

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