Delhi Elections 2013: Development, Corruption Tops BJP Agenda

Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is set to formally launch a massive campaign against Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit for the upcoming Assembly polls. Party president Rajnath Singh and Delhi election in-charge Nitin Gadkari will initiate the rally and outline BJP's agenda for the state elections.

Delhi BJP president Vijay Goel along with VK Malhotra, the party's 2008 candidate for the chief ministerial race, will also address the party cadre at the massive rally, which is scheduled for 4.30 pm at the Talkatora Stadium.

BJP's agenda for the upcoming polls is to attack the incumbent CM Sheila Dikshit, specifically on the charges of corruption and her failure to make the city free of JJ (jhuggi jhopdi) clusters.

In 2007, Dikshit had laid out an ambitious plan to make Delhi a JJ-cluster free city by 2009, before commencing the development plan for the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

As per the Delhi Urban Shelter Board, an area covering 3,38,967 sq.metre in the city is still under JJ clusters. The clusters were razed out in 2009, when the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) had undertaken a demolition drive saying that the land was needed for the 2010 Commonwealth Games. The Delhi government is yet to rehabilitate those who had been living in the clusters.

"No effort was made to provide rehabilitation for the residents prior to or after the demolition. While the MCD verbally informed some residents that the area was required for the Commonwealth Games, nothing has been done with the land till date and many residents have continued to live there," said a PIL filed in the Delhi High Court by NGO Jhuggi Jhopri Ekta Manch.

"Ownership papers to resettlement colonies is a poll gimmick. In fact it will put additional burden on the residents due to faulty guidelines. Delhi CM talks of giving ownership papers to resettlement colonies of 1960-85, but is silent on JJ Clusters that came up during 1990-07. Those, who sold their plots multiple times before or after 2007, will be charged 100% circle rates," Goel had posted on Twitter.

The BJP's election campaign will also focus on the issues of inflation, power, water and lack of development in rural areas among others.

Campaign kicks-off on Modi's Birthday

The state BJP wing deliberately chose the birth date of party's PM candidate Narendra Modi to formally launch the campaign for the upcoming state assembly polls.

"The anointment of Shri Narendra Modi has galvanized the party cadres in Delhi who were already charged up to end the 15-year misrule of Congress," said Goel. Moreover, the party leaders will initiate the rally with a havan (ritual) to pray for Modi's long life.

At the end of this month the Delhi BJP is also organising a huge rally for Modi. On 29 September, Modi will address nearly 4-5 lakh people at Japanese Park in Rohini.