A day after the Election Commission announced Assembly poll dates for Delhi along with four other states, parties have already started credit seeking and mudslinging debate with Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit challenging Opposition to give proof and not merely hurl allegations of “widespread corruption” against her government.
Rising political temperature in the city was felt as both the BJP and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) targeted the chief minister for her statements on graft and tall claims of development. “Both the BJP and the AAP have been defaming us by alleging that there has been corruption in our government. Nobody becomes corrupt just because you keep repeating the charges. I challenge them to come up with evidence. We will take action,” Sheila Dikshit remarked at a press conference on Saturday, joined also by Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) president J P Agarwal and AICC general secretary in-charge of capital, Shakeel Ahmed.
Polling will take place for the 70 Assembly on December 4 and the results will be announced four days later. In the last election, the BJP got 23 seats (36.37% votes) while the Congress won 42 constituencies (40.34% votes) to continue in power for three back-to-back wins. Dikshit asserted that her government has changed the face of the city in the last 15 years by ensuring inclusive growth. The chief minister alleged that both the BJP and the AAP were misleading people on several issues for electoral gains. “We do not know what they are saying. We do not know what their policies are. They are simply making promise like bringing down the power tariff,” she said.
Training his guns at Shiela Dikshit government, Delhi BJP president Vijay Goel said, “The biggest proof of graft is indictment of her government by Lokayukta. His office had alleged that Rs 22 crore belonging to the people was utilized by her in advertisements and Rs 11 crore needs to be returned. This is a judicial indictment. No further proof is necessary,” Goel said, adding that the Shunglu committee, CAG and PAC reports have also have criticised the Delhi government.
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