Chandigarh MC elections: BJP, Cong, AAP raise the poll pitch on common platform

Sandeep Rana

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 20

A few days after the city chiefs of the BJP and the Congress challenged each other for a debate, they shared the dais today, criticising each other over various civic issues ahead of the December 24 MC poll.

They had a dig at each other at an RWA interaction event organised by the Federation of Sector Welfare Associations Chandigarh (FOSWAC). Along with them, the AAP convener was also present.

Subhash Chawla, president of the city Congress, which is eyeing a comeback in the MC, said people should first seek a report card from a political party to know whether it has fulfilled its promises. He claimed that the BJP had failed to fulfil 25 promises made in the 2016 manifesto before the MC elections.

“We wanted to keep this election positive, but the BJP tore the chargesheet (at a press conference) prepared by us highlighting its failures. You (voters) rejected us five years ago, now the ruling party should answer why it failed to perform rather than blaming the Congress,” he said.

The two-time Mayor sought to know “why taxes are being imposed on the public. We are paying taxes, but are we getting our share? As per RTI information, in 2019-20, there was a revenue collection of Rs4,000 crore, according to which the MC should have got Rs1,200 crore. If we get this amount, Chandigarh will become a Paris. The BJP failed to bring the required funds. It says it has increased the revenue of the MC; what’s the big deal? It’s been done by imposing taxes. Resources should have also improved.”

The senior Congress leader slammed the BJP over garbage collection and smart parking lots. “We do not know whether 24×7 water supply came or not, but we know that residents have been burdened with a Rs550-crore loan taken from a French firm. They should have got a referendum done whether the public needs 24×7 at this cost,” he said.

City BJP president Arun Sood took on the Congress chief while highlighting the “achievements” of his party and claimed that they had fulfilled 95 per cent of the promises made in the last manifesto. “We have released a 28-page booklet giving details of what we did in the MC. However, where is the Congress’ 14-year-rule report card. They have nothing to show, I think,” he said.

On financial viability, Sood said, “The grant-in-aid, which was only Rs276 crore till 2015, has been increased to Rs502 crore in 2021 in our rule. Besides, with the special grant, we got additional water for the city from the Kajauli waterworks. We also got Rs102-crore special grant for village development. I challenge the Congress if it proves that it got even a penny extra than the grant-in-aid.”

On taxes, Sood replied, “For 14 years, the Congress ran the MC with a fixed deposit as the grant-in-aid was too low, thereby weakening the corporation. During our time, the fund generation increased. Parking fee is a service charge, not a tax. The property tax was started by the Congress. The Covid cess is being used on Covid-related expenditure. There is no harm in paying Rs5 on beer as cow cess for gaumata’s welfare.”

He blamed the Congress for the dumping ground issue, alleging that without the tender process, the work of waste processing plant was given to Jaypee at the time of former MP Pawan Kumar Bansal. “It took four years of litigation to show the door to the firm and now we are going to float a tender in January for a new technology. Nearly 45 per cent of the dumping ground waste has been cleared by us,” he said.

Vineet Singh, a resident of Sector 61, asked Sood, “We are using a PIN code of Mohali. Our home deliveries and parcels never reach on time due to this. No one has heard our plea; the issue must be resolved.”

AAP convener Prem Garg said, “Through better utilisation, free and well-managed parking lots can be provided. On the lines of Delhi, the MC staff will come to your place for services.”

Replying to him, the BJP chief quipped, “Delhi needs the Chandigarh model and not vice-versa. Whether it is air pollution or the plight of people during Covid in Delhi, we know where you stand. Chandigarh is also ahead of Delhi in education.”