Delhi Congress demands immediate dissolution of Assembly

NEW DELHI: As Delhi completed six months under President's Rule, Congress today targeted the NDA government at the Centre, accusing it of "total failure" in running the city and demanded immediate dissolution of the Assembly to pave the way for fresh elections.

The party announced launching of a campaign tomorrow to make people "aware" about the "misdeeds" of the 49-day-long AAP government and six months of President's Rule and said the burden on the common man has increased during the period.

Targeting the NDA government, DPCC Chief Spokesperson Mukesh Sharma accused it of doing "nothing" to address the serious problems in Delhi like increasing food prices, inadequate water supply and poor living conditions in unauthorised colonies.

"We demand immediate dissolution of the Delhi Assembly so that fresh elections can be held. The BJP government at the Centre is doing nothing to address the problems of Delhiites," said the senior Congress leader.

The attack on the Centre by Congress came on a day on which Union Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu announced steps to speed up various development projects, including regularisation of over 1,600 unauthorised colonies which are home to around 40 lakh people.

"The law and order situation has deteriorated drastically in Delhi though it is being run by the Union Home Minister. All the development projects have been stopped. People in unauthorised colonies are forced to live without basic facilities," Sharma alleged.

He said that to make people aware about the "misdeeds" of the AAP government as well as the NDA government at the Centre, Congress will launch an awareness drive.

Sharma claimed that old-age pension of around 50,000 people has not been released in the last few months.

Referring to the law and order situation, he claimed that crime against women was on the rise and accused Delhi Police of "total failure" in containing crime.

President's Rule was imposed in Delhi on February 17 after the 49-day-old AAP government had resigned. As per the provision, President's Rule can be extended for another six months in the city.

BJP had emerged as the single-largest party after the Assembly polls in December last year with 32 seats, including ally Akali Dal's lone MLA in the 70-member House.

BJP fell four seats short of a simple majority and had refused to form the government saying it did not have the numbers and will not resort to any "unfair means" to take the reins.

AAP, with 28 MLAs, later formed the government with the support of eight Congress MLAs.