It may sound unusual but a sizeable population of voters is pitching for Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the civic polls, scheduled for April 23. A momentum appears to be building up as the people feel that if they vote for BJP, it will help in strengthening Prime Minister's hands. Voters are willing to go for the BJP despite its councilors having failed in addressing the problems of the people.
Although the initiatives taken by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to improve health services and to reform education has received wide acclaim by the populace but the momentum appears to be swinging towards the saffron party. The polls are being seen as crucial for the AAP as it has "failed" to perform in Punjab and Goa elections.
The BJP, which has been ruling all three MCDs for 10 years, is desperate to regain a third consecutive term but not on their own work. The Congress party on the other hand, sour with the recent humiliating defeat in the recent Assembly elections, will put all its efforts in trying to improve its performance in the civic polls.
The Congress bandwagon seems to have lost its wheels as its Delhi unit has decided to launch its campaign on social media and make public aware of corruption in Corporations by organising small meetings instead of rallies and full-fledged campaign.
The BJP also to avoid anti-incumbency has decided not to field sitting councillors in what it terms a move to start a new culture and to "infuse fresh blood" into civic body polls which is also appreciated by people. The morale of the BJP workers is very high after receiving overwhelming mandates in Assembly election in Goa, Manipur, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
The Pioneer visited areas in the city to assess the development done by councilors in their wards and to know the mood of the people ahead of MCD elections. Majority of residents in Rohini ward number 21(Pravesh Wahi), 49 (Vijay Prakash Pandey), 11 (Rajni Abbi) and ward number 57 (Sanjeev Nayyar) Paschim Vihar, 109 (Shyam Sharma) Janakpuri where the prominent leaders of BJP are councillors.
It was observed that except some of the facilities such as constructing gyms in big parks nothing has been done to solve the basic facilities like sanitation. Poor sanitation to pathetic condition of roads in inner areas resulted in accumulation of water followed by waterborne diseases every year. All round deterioration in the civic amenities provided by the MCD reflected in the wards. Residents' claimed that they have raised the issues several times but nothing has been done to solve the problem. Despite all the unsolved issues residents in these localities supported the BJP by counting a number of social initiatives taken by PM.
In another example, the unaddressed problem of Nangli Jalib village in Janakpuri that is ward number 109 of Shyam Sharma, Mayor of South Delhi has seen several developmental projects which have been held up for the past months just ahead of election but despite all this chaos in their wards they strongly support will the Mayor.
Raman Chaudhari who runs a glossary shop in the village (Nangli Jalib) said that people in his village will vote for Narendra Modi because they believe in developmental agenda of PM.
Talking about the problem being faced by people in the village, Vimla Devi, local residents of B1 block in Janakpuri said, "Despite several requests to clean the sewer lines, the Councillors paid no heeds. The main parks are maintained but the conditions in inner areas are not up to mark, and even some of the parks are used to dry clothes. But every party is on the same page. Congress also ruled the Corporation but what happened. So I personally want a Corporation run by any administrator but under a strong leadership as our PM."
Bhavika Arora, a resident of ward number 21 (Rohini) "Every monsoon, water get accumulated in this area as sewer are jammed and sanitation staff never come to clean it. We receive dirty water as the pipe supplying water to our ward is right next to the drainage line. What happened last year was really bad and the problem will continue in future unless the old water pipeline is replaced."
"The Congress is not an option and AAP cannot be voted as it lacks leadership at not only local level but at central politics as well. The only option left with us the BJP which has leaders at both the levels. "I want MCD should address basic civic problems most importantly maintaining sanitation in all the
wards," she said.