A blame game has started in Delhi between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the BJP-led Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) on Friday over the rising cases of vector-borne diseases in the national capital. Both are trading accusations, while health experts warn of a potential surge if timely interventions are not implemented.
To put the civic body in the dock, the AAP has alleged that malaria cases in Delhi have broken a 10-year record.
According to official figures, Delhi has reported 277 dengue cases, 124 malaria infections, and 18 cases of chikungunya so far this monsoon season.
AAP Trains Guns At MCD
AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj said the rising disease numbers reflected larger issues with civic infrastructure.
"Malaria cases in Delhi have broken a 10-year record. This isn't just a number, it's a symptom of how deeply mismanaged the city is," he said during a press conference on Friday.
Pointing to the instances of waterlogging in Connaught Place, Sadar Bazar, and Janpath, Mr. Bharadwaj said, "BJP ministers repeatedly claim there's no waterlogging, but the rising malaria cases tell a different story.
The AAP has also said it will raise the matter in the Delhi Assembly session on August 4.
मलेरिया के आंकड़े पिछले 10 साल में सबसे ज़्यादा‼️
— Saurabh Bharadwaj (@Saurabh_MLAgk) August 1, 2025
BJP की सरकार ने कहा था कि इस बार दिल्ली में जलभराव नहीं होगा लेकिन इस बार CP और सदर बाजार समेत तमाम जगहों पर जलभराव हुआ लेकिन बीजेपी सरकार ने मानने से ही इनकार कर दिया।
अब दिल्ली में मलेरिया के आंकड़े पिछले 10 साल के आंकड़े को… pic.twitter.com/srpRZaGswP
Mayor Hits Back
Responding to the allegations, Delhi Mayor Sardar Raja Iqbal Singh defended the MCD's efforts and questioned AAP's performance during its tenure at the municipal level.
AAP ran the MCD for two-and-a-half years. Did they eradicate mosquito breeding? They didn't even release full data on dengue and malaria cases then," Mr Singh said.
He also highlighted the civic body's recent initiatives to prevent mosquito breeding and vector-borne diseases, which include spraying at 49,718 locations, conducting 8.2 lakh home inspections, and issuing over 5,600 legal notices for mosquito breeding violations.
"We're acting on a war footing. These baseless accusations by AAP are just a political diversion," Mr Singh said, adding that AAP leaders have not been active participants in health discussions.
Between Politics and Public Health, Residents Want Solutions
As political back and forth continues, residents say they're more concerned about on-ground response than party positions.
"We don't want daily updates on blame. We want clean streets, regular spraying, and health camps," said a resident in West Delhi.
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