BJP may axe top NDMC, EDMC leaders

New Delhi: Leaders of house in two BJP-ruled municipal corporations are likely to be removed for defying Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari’s clear instruction to form zonal committee and standing committee at the earliest.

According to party sources, leaders of the house in North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) and East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) are likely to be removed for delaying election procedure of zone chairperson without consulting Mr Tiwari, who instructed that elections be held at the earliest.

The NDMC extended filling of nomination paper till next week, which ended on Friday.

Sources privy to the development claimed that newly-appointed leaders of the house in NDMC and EDMC Tilak Raj Kataria and Nirmal Jain respectively are likely to be removed for not holding the elections on time.

Delhi BJP general secretary Ravinder Gupta told this newspaper that dates have been extended to select the best person for the job by a proper brainstorming session of the top leadership of the Delhi BJP. "

As a few senior office-bearers are not in the city,  the leadership felt that election process be postponed in a bid to consult the leaders for selecting new appointees to the key posts in the municipal corporations," said Mr Gupta.

When asked if Mr Tiwari was aware about the decision to extend date filling of nomination, Mr Gupta said that he is not aware about it.  

Sources said that Delhi BJP general secretary (organisation) Sidharthan is in Karnataka overseeing the party affairs ahead of the crucial May 12 Karnataka Assembly polls and general secretary Rajesh Bhatia is also out of town.Mr Tiwari, Mr Gupta and other general secretary Kuljeet Singh Chahal had a marathon meeting on Wednesday evening to finalise the names of 12 zonal chairpersons chairman and deputy chairpersons in three municipal corporations.

"We have learnt that Mr Sidharthan, who is presently in Karnataka,  has the directed civic leadership to extend the election process till his return," said a party office-bearer.

Sources claimed that Mr Tiwari directed the party's civic leadership to constitute new zonal committees by electing new chairpersons, deputy chairpersons and members of the standing committee, the key decision-making body of  a civic body, at the earliest.

 The BJP leadership in the municipal corporation without consulting Mr Tiwari had extended the date of filling of nomination. "Mr Tiwari has directed all the three municipal corporations form new standing committees after electing new zonal chairperson and members of the standing committee, so that the municipal corporation could get enough time to improve civic infrastructure in the capital till the next year’s general election.

By delaying the election process they not only defied Mr Tiwari's direction, but also shortened the duration of term of standing committee to be formed. Non-formation of standing committees also stall decision making in the civic bodies," they said.

Election of new chairperson and deputy chairperson of standing committee will be held after members from half of total civic zones elect a member for the committee. All the important financial and key decisions needs standing committee’s approval.