New Delhi, July 02: Ridiculing Delhi government for approaching President A P J Abdul Kalam for grant of statehood to the national capital, opposition BJP today termed the step as a "political gimmick" and blamed the ruling Congress party for the "mess" created by the multiplicity of authority.
Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit's Congress party "has been in power at the Centre from 1947 to 1998 and was in power in Delhi administration too. Still it has done nothing for granting of statehood to Delhi," BJP state unit president Madan Lal Khurana said in an informal interaction with reporters.
"Yesterday's move of Dikshit to approach the President is yet another political gimmick aimed at misleading the people," he charged, saying she was well aware that Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani had "assured" Delhi's BJP MPs that a bill for grant of statehood would be introduced in Parliament in coming monsoon session.
He said currently discussions were going on the form of statehood to be granted.
One proposal is to make areas around Rashtrapati Bhavan, Parliament, diplomatic enclave and other sensitive vicinities a union territory and grant statehood to rest of Delhi with control of land and police, he said.

Bureau Report