New Delhi:
The Aam Aadmi Party on Monday released another manifesto for next week’s Delhi election, promising free travel on the city’s public buses and a 50 per cent discount on Metro fares for all school and college students. Party boss and former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced a long list of 15 assurances, or ‘Kejriwal ki guarantees’ – a spin on the Bharatiya Janata Party‘s ‘Modi ki guarantees’.
That list included promises made earlier, such as last month’s offer of Rs 2,100 in direct cash transfers to eligible women beneficiaries if the AAP is voted to power. “This is for empowering women and addressing their financial need…” Mr Kejriwal had said then, as he also promised to extend free bus travel (and concessions on Metro fares) for women to female students too.
“Today, we are announcing 15 ‘Kejriwal ki guarantees’, which will be fulfilled in the next five years. The first is the guarantee of employment. Second – the ‘Mahila Samman Yojana’ which will give Rs 2,100 per month to every woman. Third – Sanjeevani scheme for medical treatment.”
The other promises included an assurance that incorrect water bills will be waived.
Mr Kejriwal also re-assured residents the AAP, if re-elected, will “ensure the cleaning of the Yamuna, 24-hour drinking water supply for all houses, and make European-standard roads”.
These, he admitted, had been promised before the last election – in 2020 – but had not been completed; Mr Kejriwal blamed the pandemic and the Bharatiya Janata Party’s ‘targeting’ of himself and senior AAP leaders, like former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, for the delay.
Mr Kejriwal, Mr Sisodia, and at least two other AAP figures – Sanjay Singh and Satyendra Jain – were arrested and jailed starting May 2022 on money laundering and corruption charges, sparking a furious squabble between the two parties that reached the Supreme Court.
“The sixth guarantee,” Mr Kejriwal continued, “is the Dr BR Ambedkar Scholarship scheme that will cover the cost of education, travel ,and stay of Dalit students wanting to study in any international university. We will give Rs 18,000 per month to temple and gurudwara priests…”
The AAP and the BJP have traded manifesto releases over the past few weeks, with each side releasing snippets from the larger document that focus on different vote banks, including women, marginalised communities, and, now, students.
The BJP’s sops were announced last week; the party said it would give “free education – from pre-school to post-graduate degrees – for needy students”. It also promised cash aid of Rs 15,000, plus travel reimbursements, for students appearing for entrance examinations.
READ | Freebies For Students In Part 2 Of BJP’s Manifesto, AAP Hits Back
In addition, students from Scheduled Castes studying technical and professional courses will receive a monthly stipend of Rs 1,000, the BJP said.
In response, Mr Kejriwal red-flagged a clause in his rival’s manifesto that said only “eligible children” would get the promised free education in Delhi government schools.
READ | Congress’ ‘Pyari Didi’ Scheme Vows Rs 2,500 Monthly For Women
“But, under AAP, everyone is getting free education… this means they want people to be harassed and make multiple trips to BJP offices to admit their children in schools,” the ex-Chief Minister said.
READ | In BJP’s Delhi Manifesto, Rs 21,000 Aid For Pregnant Women
Days earlier the two sides (and the Congress, which is widely seen as a rank outsider) squabbled over promises for women voters, who have finally been recognised a key vote base.
READ | AAP, BJP, Congress Offer Cash, Chase Women Voters In Delhi
And over 46 per cent – around 71 lakh – of Delhi’s registered voters are women, with more signing up daily, according to the national capital’s Chief Electoral Officer.
Women (and men and voters who don’t identify as either) will head to the polling booths on February 5, a Wednesday. Votes will be counted three days later – on February 8.
Delhi has 70 Assembly seats, a staggering 62 of which plumped for the AAP in 2020.
The AAP dominated the 2015 poll also, winning 67 seats.
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