Bhilai, May 24: The Bhilai Municipal Corporation (BMC) witnessed dramatic scenes on Thursday as opposition corporators staged a walkout during the general body meeting, alleging significant bias in the allocation of development funds by the ruling party. The tension escalated rapidly after Mayor Neeraj Pal presented a proposal for a major infrastructure push, including road repairs, park redevelopment, and upgraded drainage systems in several wards. Opposition members, primarily from the BJP and an alliance of independent corporators, immediately rose in protest, claiming that wards represented by non-ruling party members were conspicuously missing from the priority list. They argued that despite submitting numerous proposals for critical repairs in their constituencies, these requests were repeatedly ignored by the Mayor’s office, while funds were “lavishly allocated” to wards where the ruling Congress party holds sway. The uproar reached a peak when Opposition Leader Bhojraj Sinha directly accused the ruling coalition of “politically motivated fund management” designed to consolidate power before the upcoming assembly elections, neglecting the genuine needs of a large section of Bhilai’s residents. “The city is suffering. Wards are facing drainage overflows and dilapidated roads, but the Mayor is only concerned with his party’s prospects,” Sinha stated. In response, Mayor Pal vehemently denied the charges, labeling them as “politically motivated and baseless.” He countered that the fund allocation process was purely strategic, focusing on the most critical projects and city-wide priorities, not individual ward politics. “Our priority is the holistic development of Bhilai. We are systematically addressing long-pending issues, and the visible progress across the city is a testament to our fair approach,” the Mayor asserted. The debate further deteriorated into a shouting match, with corporators from both sides exchanging heated remarks. This led to a brief adjournment by the Speaker, intended to cool tempers. However, when the meeting resumed and the Mayor insisted on proceeding with the vote on the contested proposal, the opposition corporators collectively marched out of the council hall, shouting slogans against the administration and demanding immediate redistribution of funds. The meeting continued in their absence, and the development proposals were passed by the remaining members of the ruling coalition. The walkout has created significant ripples in local politics, with both sides now taking their arguments to the public, setting the stage for increased political friction in Bhilai in the coming weeks as citizens demand accountability for the equitable distribution of resources.
