Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday said the Centre was using force and indulging in hooliganism in not allowing MCD elections, PTI reported. Speaking in the Delhi Assembly, Kejriwal said the AAP government would court over the matter to get MCD elections conducted on time.
"Centre using force, hooliganism in not allowing MCD elections. We will have to approach court to get MCD elections conducted on time and we will do it," Kejriwal said.
Kejriwal claimed there were talks that Delhi might be converted into full Union Territory and then there would be no elections.
The new unified Municipal Corporation of Delhi, comprising the three civic bodies of the national capital, came into effect on May 22 after the Delhi Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Act, 2022, was passed in Parliament earlier this year.
READ | Parliament Passes Bill To Merge Three Municipal Corporations of Delhi
All three civic bodies -- North, South and East Delhi municipal corporations -- were controlled by the BJP before unification. The BJP has controlled the civic bodies, which were trifurcated by the erstwhile Congress government in 2012, for 15 years.
Speaking on the arrest of Delhi minister Satyendar Jain, Kejriwal said "it was a black day for the country". Satyendar Jain was arrested on May 30 in connection with a money laundering case and is currently lodged in Tihar Jail.
"I think it was a black day for the country when Satyendar Jain, who gave not only this country but entire world the concept of Mohalla Clinic, was picked up and arrested. They jailed him but people still don't believe them (Centre), they say he's honest," Kejriwal said.
"BJP is now threatening to arrest Manish Sisodia, does he look like a thief? There are notices against AAP MLAs like Atishi, Amanatullah Khan. All AAP volunteers, MLAs, ministers should be ready to go to jail, we do not fear them (BJP)," the Delhi CM further said.
Speaking to reporters after the Assembly session, Kejriwal said during the unification exercise of the three MCDs, the Centre had assured that a delimitation commission would be formed following which, elections will be held.
"Over one and half a months have passed after the unification of the MCDs, but they have not formed the delimitation commission. They don't want elections to be conducted. This is against democracy. We will go to court on this if required," PTI quoted Kejriwal as saying.