In the first Delhi Cabinet meeting, it was decided that each MLA should keep encroachments in his/her area under control. But taken aback by the wide-spread protests against demolitions from the ``loyal vote-banks,'' the Congress had to do a volte-face and start attacking the move. While the Congress is angry over the demolition of slums, the BJP is equally incensed at the demolition of unauthorised colonies.

The proposal for a debate on demolitions, which was admitted today in the business agenda of the House, came out of a series of meetings of the cabinet and MLAs with Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, the Chief Whip and other senior leaders. The orders for launching such a demolition drive came after a hard-hitting directive from Lieutenant-Governor Vijai Kapoor in January asking various agencies to take stock of the situation.

Ironically, Kapoor will inaugurate the Budget session which shall see his directive being torn apart. As the Delhi Government does not have land and law and order as it subjects, the only thing that the Congress Government could do is protest and build up pressure on the administration to withdraw the drive. Many first-time MLAs found it humiliating that they were ``unable even to keep the shelter over the heads of their voters.'' Since the launch of the drive, Delhi Congress MLAs have been protesting against ``punishing people for voting for Congress''.