DPCC president Shiela Dikshit said that this was just another gimmick of the BJP government to divert the attention of Delhiites from the problems of water, power and spiralling prices. ``And not to forget the burden of statehood will fall on the people, with increased taxes.''

All India Congress Committee (AICC) member Kiran Choudhary said there was no question of not welcoming the decision. ``It was after all in former premier Rajiv Gandhi's time that it was decided to give full statehood to Delhi,'' she said.

On the question of Congress supporting the statehood bill in Parliament, Choudhary said that it would depend on the BJP satisfying it on the financial implications. She said that the BJP had messed up DVB, DTC and every other thing it got. ``They will do the same with Delhi too,'' she lamented.

Leader of Congress in Delhi Assembly Jag Parvesh Chandra said that the ``babu raj'' of Deputy secretary would end. ``Look at these bureaucrats. They sit on every file. Now that Delhi has statehood, all decisions would be taken by the state itself,'' he said, welcoming the decision.

Delhi Transport Minister Rajendra Gupta said that this was the best news possible. ``We had been wanting to do it for a long time, but now with our government at the centre we have succeeded.''