Congress grasping at straws for Delhi civic polls

The Congress is banking on the polls to help its strengthen its foundation and strategise its future

The Congress, which secured the highest vote share in the Chandigarh municipal polls, will be fighting for its existence in the 2022 Delhi municipal polls.

Delhi municipal polls are a "straw" for the Congress to help the grand-old-party strengthen its foundation and strategise its future.

Delhi Congress chief Anil Kumar said: "Even today, the Congress stands with its ideology. In a contest, one wins while another loses. On this basis, the party is weak but on the basis of ideology, Congress is the biggest party of the country. I have faith in my ideology, leaders and party workers."

"The Congress has helped people during the pandemic. Helping people despite facing defeat...We are working on the agenda of our party veterans and 2022 will not be only good for us but for Delhiites too. If we talk about vote share, in the Chandigarh Municipal polls, Congress is number one. Congress has bagged 29.79 per cent votes, the BJP 29.30 per cent while AAP 27.08 per cent. This time the Congress has bagged eight seats while in 2016 municipal polls, it had bagged four, though then the corporation used to have 26 seats instead of 35," he said.

Also Read — Congress leaders fighting for CM's chair, 'weak govt' needs to be shunned, says Arvind Kejriwal

In the 2017 Delhi municipal polls, the BJP had bagged the highest vote share, of 38.59 per cent votes in East Delhi, 35.96 per cent in North Delhi and 35.88 per cent votes in South Delhi. The AAP had bagged the highest number of votes 27.98 per cent in North Delhi Municipal Corporation, Congress secured the highest votes, at 22.74 per cent, in East Delhi.

Delhi Congress media committee chairman Anil Bhardwaj said, "2022 will be the year of change, because as people of Delhi have got only fake promises, inflation, unemployment and disease. Delhi is a place which gives employment to people coming from hundreds of kilometres far away."

"The development done during Sheila Dikshit ji's tenure has stopped. People have seen that in the past 15 years, the corporation has become synonymous with corruption. Last time, the BJP changed the candidates. If they were performing well, then what was the need for the change?" Bhardwaj said.

He said, "Congress has seen many ups and downs, but it has emerged stronger. Congress will perform well in the municipal polls as people are tired of the BJP and the AAP."

In the 2017 municipal polls, the BJP had bagged absolute majority securing 181 seats, the AAP stood second with 48 seats, Congress 30, while others secured 11.

Talking about the Delhi Congress, former minister Dr Kiran Walia said, "I am saddened to see Delhi's plight. The AAP and the BJP are adept at campaigning. I have worked in close coordination in the Sheila Dikshit government. We never campaigned then."

Also Read — 'Lawless' Goa becoming like 'Gangs of Wasseypur': Congress

"Many MLAs wanted campaigning during the opening of new schools but Sheila ji said that till three schools are set up, campaigning will not be held. She did not want extra expenditure. Had there been no metro and buses, what would have happened to Delhi? she said.

Earlier, in the Delhi municipal corporation by-polls, of the five wards, AAP won four, while Congress bagged one. But Congress leaders said that since the party's vote percentage has increased in the by-polls, it is likely to benefit in the municipal polls.

As municipal polls are nearing, Councillors have also started switching parties. Recently, the Congress received a big jolt when party councillor in North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) Mukesh Goel joined the Aam Aadmi Party.

It's not only Congress councillors who have jumped ship to other parties, but a few AAP councillors have also switched to the Congress.

In 2012, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) was divided into three, the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC), South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) and East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC). After this exercise, the 2012 municipal polls witnessed a tough contest between the BJP and the Congress.

Of the 272 seats, the BJP had bagged 138 seats, the Congress 77, the BSP 13 while others secured 41.

Watch the latest DH Videos here: