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New Delhi
By Sujay Mehdudia
No doubt that the fulfilment of these populist demands would mean putting urban governance on the backburner and unleashing chaos and mess in the Capital, but the BJP is determined to go ahead with this agenda in order to secure a victory in the next Assembly elections. Experts feel that if the Union Urban Development Ministry and DDA put into action whatever has been sought by the BJP leader, Delhi could well be heading for a situation where civic services, already busting at seams, could come under severe pressure and even crack creating disorder and anarchy in urban planning. The announcement of taking effective steps to regularise unauthorised colonies, alterations in DDA flats, three lakh shops which are functioning from residential areas in violation of the Master Plan and law and changing the Master Plan to accommodate industries functioning in certain non-conforming areas, has already made its impact on the party set-up and has boosted the morale of the cadres. The strong reaction of the Congress clearly indicates that panic has already set in in the opposition camp. "Mr. Khurana is working with a plan in mind. He will work to get these demands implemented slowly and steadily. This would create an impression among the electorate that he has toiled hard to get these issues worked out and this will work to the advantage of the BJP as lakhs of people would see him as their saviour,'' remarked a veteran of Delhi politics. In fact, the manner in which Mr. Khurana has sought to create hype on these issues is clearly indicative that he has announced the roll on for Assembly elections. The Congress has taken satisfaction in stating that it had raised these issues long back time and again. But what will work to Mr. Khurana's advantage is that he managed to get these issues settled and his vocal claims could well drown the victory claims of Congress leaders who are rejoicing without any reason. ``It is high time the Congress adopted a belligerent stand on these issues. It is fine to debate these issues in the Assembly. But such things are fought and decided by `street politics' and not sitting across the table. An impression is going around that the Congress is a divided house and is thus unable to chalk out a strategy to effectively deal with Mr. Khurana and company,'' remarked a senior Congress leader. Interestingly, the Congress is clearly away from the ground realities and is not gauging the mood of the people. The 30 lakh people living in the unauthorised colonies are desperate for getting proper civic amenities and any ray of hope is going to be overwhelmingly welcomed by them. This fact has to be kept in mind by the Congressmen before things slip out of hands. The fulfilment of other demands could also push the ruling party on the backfoot. And with the December 31 deadline of the Supreme Court fast approaching, Delhi Government would be compelled to disconnect power and water connections of industrial units functioning in non-conforming areas. This would create uproar and the Congress Government and party would be on the defensive and hard put to explain the situation.
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