The proposal to bring the Municipal Corporation of Delhi under the Delhi government has sparked protests in the BJP-controlled body. The BJP members of the MCD vehemently protested the proposal and stormed out of the Standing Committee meet at Town Hall on Monday. 

Noting the “politics of the proposal,” the BJP members claim that once under the state government, the MCD will have to battle “arbitrary and politically motivated interference.”

If the proposal is executed, the MCD will be under the Delhi government, while the Home ministry will continue to be the supreme authority. As of now, the Lieutenant-Governor is the in-charge of the MCD.

According to MCD spokesperson Deep Mathur, the role of the L-G’s office is limited and mostly advisory and the corporation, being an autonomous body, has the power to pass contracts, appointments etc. “While the move will make no impact outright on the functions of the corporation, the state government will get leverage in the substantial budget allocated to the corporation besides an added clout, Delhi Mayor Kanwar Sain said.

“Sheila Dikshit has always been an ardent proponent of bringing the MCD under the state government. This is her way of asserting that she is the boss because, the central government is with her,” he said. “Even if brought under the state government, the way MCD works will remain the same. However, the move would have been good only if the state government had a clean record. The poor records of the Delhi Jal Board, the PWD and Electricity department clearly point out that the government has failed in performing its duties, so how will bringing MCD under its control help?” Sain asked.

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