When the Mayawati government decided to debar political parties from civic elections last week, the state acquired the dubious distinction of being the only one in the country to do so.

Ashutosh Varshney, Mayor of Aligarh, who is also the chairman of All India Council of Mayors (AICM) said: “If the chief minister implements such undemocratic rules, other state governments may also do this to control urban local bodies. At any cost, we will not allow her to succeed.”

“When our general body meets on June 25, 26 and 27 in Mumbai, this issue will get top priority,” he said. “We will certainly pass a resolution to demand withdrawal of the new rules.” If necessary, the AICM will take up the matter in court.

The instrument adopted by the state was the Uttar Pradesh Municipalities (Elections of Members, Corporators, Chairman and Mayor) Rules 2010”. Opposition parties said this will free elected members of civic bodies from party discipline and make them amenable to government manipulation. Varshney said at present, there is no other state where political parties cannot contest municipal elections.

The Council chairman said he has written to Union Urban Development Minister Jaipal Reddy, seeking an appointment to discuss the issue. “We also want the Centre’s intervention in this matter,” he added.

Howrah Mayor Mamata Jaiswal, a member of the Council’s executive committee, said the matter is under serious consideration.

“In Mumbai, we will discuss our future course of action against the Uttar Pradesh government,” said Jaiswal who is from the CPM.

“We favour holding of urban local body elections on party lines. How can the UP government adopt such an undemocratic system?”

Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Umashankar Gupta, who is also the organising secretary of AICM, said: “I have been associated with the Council for over a decade. I have not seen a rule that debars political parties from contesting urban local bodies elections in any state.”

During elections, political parties show their commitment to cities by spelling out what they want to do.