Maken campaigns among government employees, traders

New Delhi, April 28 (IANS) Former Union Minister and Congress leader Ajay Maken who is contesting from the New Delhi Lok Sabha seat on Sunday held meetings with government employees, traders and civic body employees as part of his voter outreach programme.

Interacting with the government employees in Aram Bagh area of the constituency, Maken, who is contesting against BJP's Meenakshi Lekhi and AAP's Brijesh Goyal, asked them if they wanted a BJP MP who does not raise their issues in the Parliament or a person like who always raised their voice in Parliament and outside it.

He said he was instrumental in appointment and implementation of the Sixth Pay Commission which was beyond doubt most beneficial for them.

Interacting with the New Delhi Municipal Council employees in Sarojini Nagar, Maken accused the Narendra Modi government of being against government employees, borne out by the fact that even after five years, the Seventh Pay Commission has not been implemented for NDMC employees.

He pointed out that NDMC was among the richest municipal bodies in India and it was shameful indeed that it did not look after its employees.

Maken said they have choice between the BJP MP who did not have the interest in understanding their issues or a person like him who has always stood by them through thick and thin. He assured the NDMC employees that if they give him another chance, he would continue to fight for justice for them.

Interacting with the traders community in Karol Bagh, he promised to stop the sealing within one month of the Congress coming to power.

He also reminded the traders when the MCD, on the Supreme Court's orders, came to execute sealing in the Karol Bagh, the Congress government took immediate steps in stopping the sealing and promised to do it again.

Maken claimed that sealing reflected the "anti-business" and "anti-trader" mindset of the Modi government. "They have killed opportunities of employment by their faulty anti-trader and anti-business policies. The unemployment rate is the highest in 45 years. They have destroyed businesses through ill-thought-out GST and demonetisation policy," he added.

Polling for all the seven seats in the national capital is scheduled in the sixth phase of polling on May 12.

The BJP, which won all seven seats in 2014, is faced with triangular contests in the city after talks failed on an alliance between Congress and the AAP.