Kolkata: Chief minister Suvendu Adhikari on Saturday launched an attack on those opposing the KMC’s ward delimitation exercise, saying that even if the civic elections were stalled, govt had an alternative arrangement to ensure uninterrupted services across the city.“If you do not allow elections to be held, we have an alternative,” Adhikari said, reiterating his decision to appoint coordinators in all the 209 proposed KMC wards after Nov 30.Adhikari said coordinators would perform duties similar to those of elected councillors and ensure regular monitoring of civic services, including road maintenance and sanitation. “How can civic services be affected in Kolkata? Roads are sparkling clean now because I have come here. Bleaching powder has been sprinkled nearby. But who will monitor these things every day? You need councillors for daily monitoring. If you do not allow elections, we have an alternative. We will appoint coordinators and ensure services continue in every ward,” the CM said during the inauguration of a Kali Puja in Ahiritola.Adhikari criticised the petitioner challenging ward delimitation and referred to a Calcutta High Court’s vacation bench, alleging the legal challenge was aimed at preventing civic polls. A day earlier, a Calcutta HC division bench restrained the West Bengal SEC from issuing a notification for the KMC elections until a single bench disposes of the pending petition challenging the proposed increase in wards from 144 to 209.Adhikari said the state would challenge the order in the Supreme Court.
