BJP expels 3 councillors on graft charges
The Hindu
Party says it works on zero tolerance policy; AAP calls it cover up
Delhi BJP president Adesh Gupta on Sunday expelled three municipal councillors for six years on corruption charges and for ignoring party workers. Mr. Gupta said it was a matter of regret, but the party can’t ignore the complaints and would not desist from taking similar action in future as well.
The councillors expelled are Pooja Madan from Mukherjee Nagar, Rajni Bablu Pandey from New Ashok Nagar, and Sanjay Thakur from Said-ul-Ajaib. In the expulsion letter to the councillors, Mr. Gupta said they had been warned in the past and asked to improve their behaviour towards party workers but to no avail.
“The party works on zero tolerance policy and this won’t be tolerated at any cost. All councillors should do public service with sincerity and honesty. If there is any laxity on this account or any corruption is detected, strict action will be taken,” Mr. Gupta said in his letter.
More than 2.6 lakh village and ward volunteers in Andhra Pradesh, once celebrated as the government’s grassroots champions for their crucial role in implementing welfare schemes, are now in a dilemma after learning that their tenure has not been renewed after August 2023 even though they have been paid honoraria till June 2024. Disowned by both YSRCP, which was in power when they were appointed, and the current ruling TDP, which made a poll promise to double their pay, these former volunteers are ruing the day they signed up for the role which they don’t know if even still exists