MCD contractual employees 'lost jobs', AAP wants to 'recruit' its workers, alleges BJP

On Saturday, Delhi BJP claimed that a large number of contractual worker in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi have lost jobs after their contracts were not renewed.

New Delhi: Delhi BJP on Saturday claimed that a large number of contractual worker in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi have lost jobs after their contracts were not renewed, as it alleged that the ruling AAP wants to recruit its workers instead. The AAP shot back, saying the BJP's claims regarding these MCD employees were "completely false and meritless". The contracts of all such employees have "already been extended on the mayor's directions", it said in a statement.

Delhi BJP on Friday had alleged that files on the extension of contractual civic workers have been "withheld", following which they will not be able to work from April 1 onwards. In a statement later, the office of Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi, however, had said directions have been issued to officials to "extend the services" of such MCD employees.

At a press conference on Saturday, Delhi BJP leaders said it will not allow the Aam Aadmi Party to "arbitrarily run the Municipal Corporation of Delhi's administration under any circumstances" and will ensure that the governance and services are run with "full transparency". Delhi BJP general secretary Harsh Malhotra alleged that ever since the AAP came to power in the MCD, "they are neither allowing constitutional rules to be followed in running the House nor are they letting the officers do the administrative work".

Describing Oberoi as a "puppet mayor", he said till March 31, "about 3,000 contract employees of the MCD have lost jobs". He claimed that it was part of "conspiracy" and "no proposal was brought for this in the session to discuss budget recently, so that the jobs of these employees could be terminated, and their party workers could be recruited".

The BJP leaders alleged that for the last eight years "we are watching that AAP wants to recruit its workers in all the coterminous jobs" of the Delhi government or other works like civil defense recruitment, and "thus the mayor stopped the contract renewal of contract workers", a charge denied by the AAP.

Shocked by the immediate protest by Delhi BJP, the mayor who "works at the behest of Chief Minister Kejriwal", is "now talking of renewing contracts of employees". The BJP's claims regarding these MCD employees are "completely false and meritless, and the contracts of all such employees have already been extended on the mayor's directions", the AAP said in a statement.

Over the last 15 years, the BJP completely "destroyed and hollowed out the corporation from within", it alleged. The AAP is "painstakingly fixing each and every issue that plagues the MCD. We are committed towards running a people-friendly and pro-employee government in the MCD. Rest assured, it will take time to cope up for BJP's 15-year-long loot and maladministration, but we will transform the MCD," it claimed.

Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor alleged that the AAP tried to "mislead the people of Delhi" by passing a "legally insignificant private member resolution" in the House. BJP will expose whenever the mayor does such a "farce", he said. Former south Delhi mayor Kamaljeet Sehrawat and senior BJP leaders Shikha Rai and Yogesh Verma were also present on the occasion. (PTI)