New Delhi: BJP’s leadership in Delhi has had to step in to restrain its “vigilante” councillors, party sources told ThePrint.
The move came after two prominent incidents drew backlash on social media. The first controversy erupted after a video circulating online showed BJP councillor Renu Chaudhary allegedly threatening a football coach from Africa for “not knowing Hindi”. Weeks later, another clip emerged of MCD councillor from Kondli, Munesh Dedha, allegedly scolding a couple in an East Delhi park.
Chaudhary later apologised for her remarks, which – sources said – was after the party leadership stepped in.
The source said BJP has asked its councillors to get police or other relevant authorities involved in necessary cases, instead of going off on their own.
LDF up against BJP-Cong in Kerala
Just weeks after it took charge of the Thiruvananthapuram civic body, BJP has already had multiple run-ins with the LDF-led Kerala government on issues ranging from operational limit of corporation buses to swearing in the name of deities.
But the latest run-in saw BJP get an unlikely ally – the Congress.
The dispute was precipitated by BJP’s R. Sreelekha, who won the local body poll from Sasthamangalam in Thiruvananthapuram.
Sreelekha requested V.K. Prashant, the CPI(M) MLA representing Thiruvananthapuram’s Vattiyoorkavu constituency, to vacate his office in the corporation building due to space constraints for her own office there. CPI(M) is part of the LDF-led government.
Prashant refused to move, saying that his rental agreement was valid till 31 March and that he would challenge it legally. He said he has been using the office in the building for seven years. He also called the retired IPS officer’s demand politically motivated.
The controversy deepened after reports claimed the MLA was paying less than Rs 1,000 a month for the office space. Ganging up on the MLA, the Congress and BJP argued that the legislator was taking undue advantage of the corporation previously run by the Left.
Eventually, the MLA relocated, saying he wanted to avoid “unnecessary controversy”.
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