AAP MLAs, councillors to seek public opinion on free travel for women scheme

Sisodia said people participating in these meetings will be told that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is opposing the AAP government’s decision.

Starting Saturday, all Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs and councillors will hold public meetings in their areas to take feedback from residents of the city about the Delhi government’s proposal to make travel free for women in buses and the Metro, deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia said Friday.

When asked Sisodia did not deny that the move was aimed at mobilising people ahead of the assembly elections scheduled early next year.(Amal KS/HT PHOTO)

“Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has directed all AAP MLAs and councillors to hold at least 1,000 public meetings across Delhi to take people’s feedback on the scheme. They have been told that this has to be completed in a week. Every MLA and councillor has been given a target of holding 10 small meetings in their respective areas,” Sisodia said, addressing a press conference at Kejriwal’s official residence Friday evening.

Sisodia said people participating in these meetings will be told that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is opposing the AAP government’s decision.

“First, the party leaders will explain the scheme. Next, they will ask who all support the scheme. Then, they will be asked who all support the BJP’s stand that this scheme should not be implemented. In both cases, the leaders will count the number of supporters that will act as a survey. Reports from each constituency will be submitted in a week after the meetings are over,” he said.

When asked Sisodia did not deny that the move was aimed at mobilising people ahead of the assembly elections scheduled early next year.

After its drubbing in the Lok Sabha elections, the party is focusing on expediting all flagship projects of the AAP government in Delhi.

Kejriwal’s direction to the party legislators and councillors comes a day after Union housing and urban affairs minister Hardeep Singh Puri alleged Kejriwal announced the scheme without making any proposal to the Centre. The Delhi government had denied this claim on Thursday, saying it has both the money and a “concrete plan” for rolling out the scheme.