With the disqualification of 20 of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs, the developmental work in their constituencies are likely to come to a grinding halt.
Praveen Kumar, AAP MLA from Jangpura who is among the 20 MLAs facing disqualification, said on Monday that several senior citizens and widows came to his office to get their pension papers signed, but were sent back disheartened.
No new projects
“I felt helpless. I generally keep morning hours for public dealings such as clearing widow pensions, old-age pensions, Aadhaar cards and change of addresses, but today [on Monday], I could not sign any documents,” said Mr. Kumar. He said that at least 100 to 200 people visit his office everyday.
Sources from the AAP said that not only has the work started being affected in these 20 constituencies, but, after the by-elections are notified, no new developmental projects will be initiated in the city because of the implementation of the model code of conduct.
Delhi is also scheduled to have the Lok Sabha elections in 2019, because of which again the developmental work will be hit.
“For two years, the projects will slow down. It will be the people of Delhi who will suffer,” said Saurabh Bharadwaj, AAP spokesperson.
Getting no salaries
The disqualified MLAs have also been stripped off their salaries following the President’s approval to the disqualification on Sunday.
Adarsh Shastri, another disqualified MLA from Dwarka, said though his only source of income has stopped, he is more worried for the people of his constituency.
“If money was the criteria we would not have entered politics. The several developmental projects that are in the pipeline for Dwarka will come to a halt, and that is my primary concern,” he said.
Not worried for re-poll
Party sources revealed that they are not worried for a re-election in these constituencies as most of these areas are a stronghold of the AAP. Sources also said that the party will not change their candidates, and the disqualified MLAs will re-contest to win their positions.
“These MLAs have been working doubly hard because somewhere down the line, they knew with the kind of politics that is brewing against the AAP, there is a possibility that they will have to face a re-election,” a senior party leader said.
The leader also said that they are confident that the hard work of these MLAs will pay off in the form of votes from the people of Delhi.
