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On his failure to fulfil some of the guarantees in the 2020 poll manifesto, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal gave coronavirus and the arrests of his cabinet ministers as reasons
AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal addresses a press conference in New Delhi. (Image: PTI/Arun Sharma)
The ruling AAP released its much-awaited manifesto for the Delhi assembly elections on Monday, issuing 15 ‘guarantees’ for the national capital. This, despite several poll guarantees from the 2020 polls remaining unfulfilled.
The AAP has refrained from using the term ‘promises’ since the 2020 elections. It has, instead, used the term guarantee, banking upon former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s image of an “honest” politician that keeps his word.
In 2015, the party’s manifesto had 70 ‘promises’. But, changing tack for the 2020 polls, the term ‘guarantee’ was used for 10 such offers. On his failure to fulfil some guarantees from 2020, Kejriwal gave coronavirus and the arrests of his cabinet ministers as reasons.
He said he could not deliver guarantees offering round-the-clock drinking water, clean Yamuna and making Delhi roads at par with European standards.
“I accept that we could not deliver these three guarantees in the last five years. We were elected in February 2020. In March, coronavirus started and continued for the next 2.5 years. My entire team was scattered. Now, we are free and we will work to deliver these three guarantees in the next five years,” he said, adding that the Delhi government has the required funds and plans.
Among other guarantees that the AAP government could not fulfil included the delivery of 11,000 buses in Delhi. At present, 7,500 buses are operational in the national capital.
It was in July 1998, even before Sheila Dikshit became the CM that the Supreme Court had directed the Delhi government to augment its fleet of buses to 10,000 by April 2001. It has been more than 26 years and the city has had six governments, and will now be electing its seventh. In 2019, the city had only 5,576 buses.
The party has also guaranteed to increase the Metro length to 500 km, but this has not even touched 400 km. Free bus rides were not only proposed for women, but for students as well. This, too, remains unfulfilled and can be seen in the 2025 manifesto again.
The AAP had also promised to make the city free of pollution and garbage. These promises remain unfulfilled. Asked why several of the key guarantees from 2020 could not be delivered, a party leader said only those, where the coordination of the Centre was required, had been impacted.
“Whatever was there in our hands, we delivered. But, Delhi is not a full state and we need support from the Centre in a lot of areas. The BJP is not supporting us in any form even when it is for the people of Delhi. This included making the city pollution-free or increasing the DTC fleet and Metro buses,” the AAP leader said on condition of anonymity.
WHAT ARE THE 15 ‘GUARANTEES’ FOR 2025?
Kejriwal has issued 15 ‘guarantees’ for the 2025 elections, including jobs for the youth, Mahila Samman Yojana, Sanjeevani Yojana, Pujari-Granthi Samman Rashi scheme, waiving incorrect water bills, commitment to cleaning the Yamuna and building high-quality European-style roads. The party has also included Ambedkar scholarship and 50 per cent bus fare concession for students.
Under Mahila Samman Yojana (Rs 2,100 per month) and Pujari-Granthi Samman Rashi scheme (Rs 18,000 per month), women and priests will get monthly financial aid.
Kejriwal has also guaranteed to extend free water and electricity schemes to tenants in Delhi. He said his government will provide a modern sewerage system for the city, free ration, marriage assistance for daughters of auto-rickshaw drivers as well as life insurance for auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers and their families.
In its manifesto, the AAP said it will also pay the resident welfare associations (RWA) for hiring private security guards. And it has been assured that all the existing schemes will be continued, including those for free education, electricity, water, and bus travel for women.
The AAP government is aiming for a fourth consecutive term. Elections will be held on February 5 and the counting of votes will take place on February 8.
