'Stop making childish excuses, face election': Manish Sisodia hits back at BJP on Delhi civic polls
Delhi govt provides "all the funds" to municipal corporations ruled by the BJP, yet they face shortage of funds "due to rampant corruption" prevailing there, the deputy CM said.
Delhi civic polls: After the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) took umbrage at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for "attacking" the Election Commission of India (ECI) over delay in announcement of dates for civic polls in the national capital, senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Manish Sisodia hit back and dared the saffron party to face the election instead of making "childish excuses".
Addressing a virtual press conference in Delhi, he also dismissed as "a lie" the BJP's claim that the Delhi government owes Rs 13,000 crore to the civic bodies in the national capital and that Kejriwal dispensation has not yet paid the outstanding amount to them.
The Delhi government provides "all the funds" to the municipal corporations ruled by the BJP, yet they face shortage of funds "due to rampant corruption" prevailing there, the deputy chief minister said.
Earlier, the BJP took umbrage at Kejriwal for "attacking" the Election Commission and electoral process over the delay in announcement of MCD poll dates, saying he is "killing" democracy at the very grassroots by starving local bodies of funds”.
Addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters along with the party's Delhi unit chief Aadesh Gupta, Union minister Smriti Irani said the BJP is "amused" that a party (AAP) which got less than NOTA votes in Uttar Pradesh, and lost deposits on 55 seats in Uttarakhand claims it had a decisive impact in the state elections results.
The Kejriwal dispensation has not paid Rs 13,000 crore due to the civic bodies in the national capital, Irani said.
"First of all, it's a lie that Delhi government doesn't give money to MCD (civic bodies in the city). The Delhi government gives all the money, yet the MCD doesn't have money because it indulges in corruption. You will have to accept it," Sisodia said reacting to the Irani's charge.
Launching a counter attack, he asked the BJP to tell the nation why the Delhi state election commission all of a sudden "deferred" announcement of the dates of the civic polls and "regretted" for it at a press conference which was called to announce the poll schedules on March 9.
"Have you threatened them with CBI or ED or offered a lucrative position in return? A press conference, called to announce the dates of the MCD elections, turned into regret. How did this happen? Tell the nation," Sisodia asked the BJP.
ALSO READ: Delhi civic polls: Expenditure limit for candidates increased to Rs 8 lakh
He also trained guns at Irani, saying she came up with "some justification for withholding of the poll dates by the election commission and said it had to be done because the Delhi government has not given funds to the MCD."
"What a joke is this?," he asked and said, "its a lame excuse, a childish excuse."
Sisodia asked the BJP to stop "crying like Congress people" and making "childish excuses" to run away from the civic polls in the city.
"Don't run away from election, face it if you have courage. The way you have tried to put the MCD election on hold by threatening and intimidating the election commission, is just not right," he said.
The AAP leader asked Irani to take a round of the city to see for herself how the BJP ruled municipal corporations have kept Delhi "completely dirty" in every nook and cranny.
"People gave opportunity to the BJP (to rule Delhi civic bodies) for 15 years but you did not do any work. If people of Delhi give you even 10 seats this time, it will be a big thing for you. You also know it. That's why you are running away from the election and got the announcement of its schedule deferred by the election commission," he charged.
Earlier in the day, Kejriwal urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to let civic polls take place in the national capital, saying postponing polls weakens the democratic system.
The chief minister also asked the State Election Commissioner to not "buckle" under pressure and tell the world whether he was being "threatened or lured".
His remarks came after the Delhi State Election Commission sought the advice of legal experts on whether it can still hold polls for the three municipal corporations here following a communication from the Centre for their unification.
The Commission, after receiving the communication, had deferred the announcement of poll dates for the South Delhi Municipal Corporation, the North Delhi Municipal Corporation and the East Delhi Municipal Corporation.
"This move has raised concern among the people of Delhi. They have started to worry about their democratic systems even after being residents of the capital. They want to know the reasons why the BJP-led central government did not merge the MCDs in the last 7-8 years of being in power," Kejriwal said.
(With PTI inputs)
ALSO READ: 'Ganna Kisan', noodles bowl, ice cream; eclectic mix of poll symbols in Delhi civic polls