The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Tuesday released a 28-point election manifesto for the assembly polls in which it has promised doorstep delivery of ration, 24-hour shopping areas in the national capital, and ₹1 crore compensation for the kin of sanitation workers who die while on duty.
The manifesto was launched by AAP national convener and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, along with deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, Rajya Sabha member and Delhi election in-charge Sanjay Singh, and cabinet minister Gopal Rai.
Seventy assembly constituencies in Delhi go to poll on Saturday. The last day for campaigning is Thursday, and the election results are to be announced on Tuesday.
The manifesto has been prepared on the basis of suggestions received during booth campaigns, townhall meetings, mohalla sabhas, and door-to-door meetings. Last month, the party had formed a three-member committee to frame the manifesto led by senior AAP leader and candidate from Kalkaji constituency Atishi, vice-chairperson of Delhi Dialogue Commission Jasmine Shah, and party spokesperson Ajoy Kumar.
AAP is focusing on the work done by the state government over the past five years, especially in areas such as education, health, water and electricity.
“In the last five years, our government has given relief to the people of Delhi in many areas. Our vision is to take Delhi to the next level in the next five years. We want the people of Delhi and the country to be proud of the city. We have prepared this manifesto keeping that in mind. We cannot do this alone but need the support of the 2 crore residents of Delhi and the central government. This manifesto has something for everyone,” Kejriwal said at the launch of the manifesto.
On 19 January, Kejriwal had released a 10-point guarantee card, which included reducing pollution by one-third, ensuring continuous piped drinking water supply, building houses for slum dwellers, and extending free travel, which was till then only for women, to students. He also guaranteed that the existing schemes of the state government would continue.
The party has promised to continue working with the central government to enact the Delhi Jan Lokpal Bill, which was passed by the assembly in 2015, but is pending with the lieutenant governor, and the Delhi Swaraj Bill. The party said it would also continue its efforts to regularise unauthorized colonies. These were key parts of its 2015 manifesto.
AAP also promised to conduct spoken English classes, widen Delhi’s Metro network to 500km, and develop the Yamuna riverside. For businesses and traders, the party has promised an amnesty scheme for pending value-added tax (VAT) cases, upgradation of markets and industrial areas, and protection from sealing.
The manifesto has also promised to recognize Bhojpuri and seek its inclusion in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.
“AAP’s vision is to enable every common man to live with dignity and prosperity…This is a vision and we appeal to the voters of Delhi to vote for this dream that we have for Delhi,” Sisodia said. Delhi is facing a three-cornered battle between AAP, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and the Congress. The BJP and Congress have already released their manifestos and have promised clean air and free electricity up to 300 units. respectively.
“AAP has been in the driving seat in this election. No other political party has looked at education and health as election issues. This is forcing national parties to also make similar announcements,” said Subrata Mukherjee, a New Delhi-based political analyst.
(With the inputs of Live Mint).
