Cong trying to impede delimitation work to delay MCD polls: BJP

New Delhi, Dec 20 (UNI) The opposition Bhartiya Janta Party in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi today alleged that the Congress government in the corporation was creating hurdles in the work on delimitation of wards in a bid to delay the forthcoming MCD polls.

Addressing reporters here, Leader of the Opposition in MCD Subhash Arya and Standing Committee member Vijender Gupta said, ''the Congress is creating hurdles in the work of delimitation and is preparing to challenge the report of the committee set up in this regard by the Delhi Lt Governor B L Joshi. This is a clear attempt to delay the MCD polls, scheduled to be held before February next year.'' Mr Arya said the report of the three-member committee, set up by the Lt Governor under the chairmanship of Delhi election commissioner, had been forwarded by the Lt Governor to the Union Urban Development Ministry which in turn forwarded it to the Law Ministry. However, the secretary of the Law ministry had demanded maps of delimited wards from the chief election commissioner of Delhi, who, said the delimitation work is the privilege of the Lt Governor and could not be challenged.

''The decision to constitute a delimitation commission was of the Congress Government since MPs, MLAs and Councillors belonging to the Congress were its members. Now, when the report of the committee is ready and is to be notified, the Congress government is presenting its no confidence on this report,'' Mr Gupta said.

Mr Gupta said though December 6 had been fixed for notification of the delimitation report, no progress had been made in this regard till date.

''The way the report is being delayed points to an attempt to postpone the MCD polls,'' he said adding that the BJP would oppose any such attempt.

Elections to the MCD are to be held by February 18 and the new House is to be constituted before April 6 next year, Mr Gupta said.

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