Arvind Kejriwal’s ‘master stroke’ leaves city BJP divided

New Delhi: Differences within the Delhi BJP came out in the open once again with party vice-president Jai Prakash welcoming chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s decision to waive off water arrears to consumers in some categories and Leader of the Opposition Vijender Gupta terming it as just a ploy to mislead people to garner votes in the coming Assembly elections.

On the one hand, Mr Prakash, who is a member of the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) and chairman of standing committee of the BJP-ruled North Delhi Municipal Corporation, welcomed Mr Kejriwal’s decision, on the other hand he questioned the timing of the move in wake of the coming state elections.

He also claimed that members of the DJB belonging to his party had been raising the issue of ‘inflated water bills’ for the last two years. However, the struggle on the huge water bills was over on Tuesday as the utility provider waived the outstanding late payment penalty and surcharge on water bills of all citizens, he said.

He announced that the first camp will be organised in his area so that citizens can get relief from huge water bills.  

Mr Prakash is said to be a confidant of Vijay Goel, who has been at loggerheads over a host of issues with Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari. Mr Goel, however, said that he will conduct raids to expose the chief minister’s claim that his government has checked the activities of water tanker mafia.

Mr Gupta’s press conference, which was moderated by party’s media in-charge Pratyush Kanth at the party office, presented a diametrically opposite view, saying there was nothing new in giving waivers to water consumers as the same has been done on several occasions by the government.

“This is just a political gimmick ahead of the state elections. Several crores of rupees have already been collected from citizens as arrears and penalty. So, this is nothing but a lollipop to the people before the Assembly elections,” said Mr Gupta, claiming that half of the city is deprived of piped water supply.

Delhi BJP spokesperson Harish Khurana said, “As usual, Mr Kejriwal is fooling people. He has already declared this scheme twice earlier in 2016 and 2017. He knows the revenue management system has been implemented and for years no bill has been generated.”

A party insider also questioned the role of the media department over the contradicting stand of the two senior party functionaries.