It’s Voting Day: Delhiites must choose wisely

New Delhi: As Delhi votes today, it is time to choose wisely and keep in mind that the betterment of Delhi should be everyone’s priority, no matter which party affiliation one aligns with. The administration of Delhi is complicated by the fact that two administrative bodies – the Municipal Corporation and Delhi Government – simultaneously handle various things.

For instance primary education is with MCD while higher education is with Delhi government. Similarly roads less than 60-ft wide are under MCD management and those wider than that are under the government.

The confusion is further compounded when the two administrative power centres have different political parties holding charge. Such clashes have been common in last few years with the AAP-led Kejriwal government often at loggerheads with the BJP-ruled MCD over issues that have little bearing on the larger picture of Delhi.

The problems that Delhi is fraught with remain mostly the same as they were, say five years back, with little cosmetic amelioration sporadically devised. While the AAP has apparently done well in the education and health sectors, it hasn’t been able to resolve several other issues -- like dengue management or cleaning of the Yamuna. Often shared responsibilities between MCD and Delhi government are shirked by each, with each letting the ball in the other’s court. The victims of all the political slug fest are the public.

People will need to remember that micromanagement is a vital cog in any macro-management success and it is the duty of the citizenry to prompt the administration to plug the loopholes that directly affect their lives - be it the neighbourhood road or the garbage disposal system. Bickering between parties is okay as poll time theatrics. For the rest of the time, unless collective efforts are made to secure the fundamentals of social engineering, no edifice of development can be thought of. It is in the narrow lanes of Delhi that the importance and effect of governance is most visible.

AAP and BJP must remember that governments will come and go but Delhi must not suffer. While going to vote today, people must look around and decide how much better off or worse their life is and then vote accordingly on the merit of who has actually done the good job.