Addressing a gathering at AAP’s ‘Janta Ki Adalat’ event at the Chhatrasal stadium in Delhi, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday issued a direct challenge to PM Modi and stated that he would campaign for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Delhi if the Prime Minister provides free electricity in all 22 states governed by the BJP before February 2025, when Delhi’s Assembly polls are due.
The Delhi Chief Minister challenges PM Modi, “Modiji, you have one year left before you turn 75 and retire. Fix the schools or make electricity free in your 22 states. If you make electricity free before February, I will campaign for you in the Delhi elections.”
During the event, Kejriwal showed six “revris” (sweets), symbolizing the six key free services his government has implemented in Delhi: free electricity, water, bus rides for women, pilgrimage for the elderly, healthcare, and education. He urged the public to treat these benefits as prasad (offerings) and warned that if they voted for the BJP, all these services would vanish.
“Double-engine government means double loot”
Kejriwal stated that the BJP is having trouble in both Haryana and Jammu-Kashmir and that public support for their leadership has decreased, citing the most recent exit poll projections assembly polls. He asserted that the BJP would lose badly in the next elections in Jharkhand and Maharashtra.
Kejriwal’s have criticised the BJP’s “double engine government” model, which he has often accused of failing across various states. He pointed out the failures in key sectors such as education and employment in BJP-ruled states, claiming that inflation, unemployment, and corruption are rampant under the double engine government.
“People have understood that double-engine government means double loot,” he stated.
In his address, Kejriwal accused the BJP of using the double-engine model as a pretext for corruption and mismanagement. He alleged that under BJP rule, states have suffered from rising inflation, unemployment, and inadequate public services, which has led to widespread dissatisfaction among citizens.
He also highlighted the ongoing Manipur violence, stating, “They have been in power in Manipur for seven years, which is burning. Do you want such a double-engine government that can make Manipur burn?”
Kejriwal also alleged that the BJP’s pro-privatization stance plans to privatize essential public services like transportation and education. “If the BJP comes to power, DTC buses, government schools, and hospitals will be handed over to private entities,” he claimed, warning that these institutions would then prioritize profit over public welfare.
“I’m not a thief”
Kejriwal also made personal accusations against Modi, claiming that the Prime Minister has unjustly labeled him a “thief.” Refuting these claims, he confidently declared, “I’m not a thief, and I say this with full confidence: if I’m honest, vote for me; if not, don’t vote for me.”
“Delhi is under the rule of the LG”
Kejriwal’s criticism of the BJP extended to its governance of Delhi’s law and order, which is under the jurisdiction of the BJP-controlled Central government and the Lieutenant Governor (LG). He accused the Delhi Police of being ineffective in addressing critical issues, focusing instead on obstructing the Delhi government’s initiatives. “Delhi is under the rule of the LG, and there is no democracy here,” he lamented, reiterating his pledge to fight for full statehood for Delhi and to free the city from what he termed “LG Raj.”
“Will Make Delhi A Full State”
Moreover, Kejriwal, claimed that he will make Delhi a ‘full state’ and will reduce the influence of the Lieutenant Governor in local governance.
“Today, I am going with an oath that in this life, I will make Delhi a full state; I will make Delhi free from LG,” he said.
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