MCD polls: AAP to focus on garbage & beautification, Delhi BJP woos slum dwellers with trip to EWS flats

New Delhi: As Delhi gears up for civic polls, BJP and AAP are set to lead a contentious fight for seats at the Capital's largest civic body. The State Election Commission recently announced that MCD elections will take place on December 4.

A senior official with AAP stated that the party wants to focus on issues of garbage and cleanliness in Delhi and wants to beautify the city as well. Several AAP leaders have made statements regarding the failure of BJP in the MCD, especially focusing on landfills. Calling out BJP for the 'mountains of garbage', AAP supremo and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal had stated that "In the last 15 years, BJP has spread garbage all

over Delhi, built huge mountains of garbage. This time on December 4, the people of

Delhi will vote for the cleanliness of Delhi".

On the other hand, BJP who has been in the MCD for 3 terms, is going to put up a strong fight to ensure they retain power for another 5 years. Senior leaders from the BJP have made crucial appearances in important events in Delhi in the last few weeks, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah who was present for the inauguration of waste to energy plant at Tehkhand.

During the event, Shah had stated that Delhi has to choose between "AAP-nirbhar or Atmanirbhar", he further stated hat AAP displayed 'stepmotherly treatment' towards MCD since coming in to power. BJP Chief J.P. Nadda also attended events in Delhi and spoke against AAP in October.

Similarly, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was seen in the Capital, inaugurating DDA's In-Situ Slum Rehabilitation' Project under the 'Jahan Jhuggi Wahin Makan' scheme at Kalkaji recently.

Delhi BJP President Adesh Gupta commented on BJP's plans for civic polls, "As soon as BJP comes back to power in Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), it will try to provide flats to all the slum dwellers." Delhi BJP has also launched a website and a Whatsapp phone number for seeking suggestions for civic poll's manifestos.

"We are taking people from slum clusters of the city to watch how the Modi government is bringing change to their lives through its welfare schemes," said Delhi BJP vice president Sunil Yadav.

People living in around 700 slum clusters in the national capital constitute a significant chunk of voters in the city.

The AAP has been able to create a strong support base among slum dwellers in the last one decade, evidenced by its back-to-back victories in Assembly polls.

"There are at least 2-3 slum clusters in each of the 270 wards in Delhi. We have deployed buses to take people there and see the well-built flats and other amenities at Kalkaji," Yadav said.

The 3,024 flats were allotted to people living at Bhoomiheen Camp in Kalkaji. The in-situ slum rehabilitation project is being undertaken in 376 jhuggi-jhopri clusters by Delhi Development Authority. DDA has been constructing flats at three locations Kalkaji Extension, Jailorwala Bagh, and Kathputli Colony — to house the displaced. Delhi BJP leaders said there has been an enthusiastic response from the people so far who were taken to see the Kalkaji EWS flats.

Interacting with slum dwellers, Gupta said that the EWS flats in the multi-storey buildings in Kalkaji have ventilated kitchens, parks for children to play, lift, and 24-hour electricity and water supply.

Congress will also be part of the fight for seats in MCD, the party is looking to regain power in the MCD.