BJP Promises to Maintain Free Electricity and Water Schemes in Delhi

India

-Krishna Kripa

Updated: Monday, December 2, 2024, 23:39 [IST]

The
BJP
has
announced
plans
to
maintain
the
free
electricity,
water
supply,
and
bus
rides
for
women
currently
provided
by
the
AAP
government
if
it
wins
power
in
Delhi.
Ramvir
Singh
Bidhuri,
chairman
of
the
BJP’s
manifesto
committee,
confirmed
this
on
Monday.
However,
the
AAP
responded
by
asserting
that
if
the
BJP
gains
control
in
Delhi,
these
schemes
would
be
terminated.

Political
Reactions
and
Accusations

The
AAP
criticised
the
BJP
for
previously
opposing
these
initiatives
and
failing
to
implement
similar
schemes
in
any
of
the
20
states
it
governs.
The
party
accused
the
BJP
of
making
false
promises
before
elections
and
not
fulfilling
them
once
in
power.
“If
the
BJP
is
copying
our
schemes
and
claiming
it
will
deliver
the
same
services
as
AAP
did,
why
would
the
people
of
Delhi
settle
for
a
duplicate?
They
will
choose
the
original
Arvind
Kejriwal,
who
has
already
proven
he
delivers
what
he
promises,” AAP
stated.

Bidhuri
countered
these
claims
by
accusing
AAP
leaders,
including
Arvind
Kejriwal,
of
misleading
the
public.
He
assured
that
after
a
BJP
victory
in
February’s
assembly
elections,
free
services
such
as
200
units
of
electricity,
20,000
litres
of
water,
and
women’s
bus
travel
would
continue.
Additionally,
he
mentioned
plans
to
implement
the
Ayushman
Bharat
health
scheme
at
their
first
Cabinet
meeting.

Public
Feedback
and
Manifesto
Development

To
develop
their
manifesto,
the
BJP
will
seek
public
input
through
meetings
with
various
societal
groups
starting
Thursday.
Bidhuri
released
an
email
address,
phone
number,
and
#bjpsankalp2025
hashtag
for
suggestions.
Senior
leaders
have
been
appointed
as
in-charges
for
meetings
at
assembly
constituency
and
district
levels.

The
BJP
also
highlighted
issues
with
current
services.
Bidhuri
claimed
that
40%
of
Delhi
residents
lack
access
to
clean
water
and
noted
that
2,500
out
of
7,500
water
samples
failed
quality
tests.
He
criticised
high
electricity
surcharges
despite
government
subsidies.

Organisational
Efforts

Members
of
the
manifesto
committee
have
been
assigned
responsibilities
for
different
Lok
Sabha
constituencies
in
Delhi.
Parvesh
Verma
will
oversee
Chandni
Chowk,
Arvinder
Singh
Lovely
New
Delhi,
Satish
Upadhyay
East
Delhi,
Ajay
Mahawar
North
East
Delhi,
Kailash
Gahlot
and
Abhishek
Tandon
South
Delhi,
with
former
Union
ministers
Harsh
Vardhan
and
Vijay
Goel
handling
North
West
Delhi.

Former
Union
minister
Meenakshi
Lekhi
will
coordinate
activities
to
gather
public
feedback
for
the
manifesto.
Video
vans
will
be
deployed
across
all
14
districts
to
collect
public
opinions.
The
BJP’s
Delhi
president
Virendra
Sachdeva
is
set
to
launch
these
video
vans
on
Saturday.

As
elections
approach
for
the
70-member
Delhi
Assembly
in
February,
both
parties
are
intensifying
their
campaigns.
The
BJP
aims
to
convince
voters
by
promising
continuity
of
popular
schemes
while
introducing
new
initiatives
like
Ayushman
Bharat.