Senior BJP leaders, ministers go door to door to drum up support for Delhi civic poll hopefuls
From promising to provide flats to slum residents and better municipal services to “exposing” the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)’s shortcomings, BJP leaders’ interactions with the people covered a range of topics
As campaigning for Delhi’s municipal election, scheduled to be held on December 4, entered its last leg, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s top leaders, including Union ministers, chief ministers of BJP-ruled states and MPs, hit the streets on Sunday to participate in a massive door-to-door campaign and meetings to garner public support.
From promising to provide flats to slum residents and better municipal services to “exposing” the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)’s shortcomings, BJP leaders’ interactions with the people covered a range of topics. While BJP president JP Nadda held a door-to-door campaign in a slum cluster in Keshavpuram in Wazirpur, Union ministers Kiren Rijiju, Piyush Goyal and Hardeep Singh Puri sought public support in Munirka, Amar Colony and RK Puram.
Addressing a public meeting, Goyal said, “The fact that the excise policy was withdrawn is the biggest proof of corruption by the AAP government. The type of corruption cases Delhi has witnessed in the past few years just shows that the AAP has only three friends: liquor, scam and corruption.”
The BJP, on Sunday, launched a ‘Dilli Ka Ladka’ cartoon campaign to inform Delhi residents about the work done by the BJP and “expose” the faults of the AAP-led Delhi government, said Ashish Sood, Delhi BJP election in-charge.
BJP leaders said that the party, which has ruled the civic body for 15 years, has worked for the betterment of people despite an acute fund shortage. The BJP, Puri said, is committed to provide housing for people living in informal settlements in the backdrop of the Centre providing flats to at least 3,000 slum residents in Kalkaji Extension earlier this month under the PM-UDAY. To be sure, the PM-UDAY scheme is a central government scheme implemented by the Delhi Development Authority and the civic agency doesn’t have a role in its implementation.
Speaking at a public meeting in RK Puram, Puri said, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently handed over the keys of flats to people living in informal settlements. More flats are ready in Jailorwala Bagh and Kathputli Colony. In our manifesto we have promised that 700,000 flats will be given under PM-UDAY and in-situ rehabilitation.”
The BJP, which is seeking a fourth term in the corporation, is projecting the move by the Centre to provide flats to slum residents as its major achievement and to tell people it believes in delivering on its promises unlike the Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government.
BJP national secretary Sunil Deodhar reiterated that the PM has delivered on his promise to slum residents. “The BJP has promised to continue this scheme in its manifesto. By 2027, all slum residents will get a flat,” he said.
BJP president Adesh Gupta, who campaigned for several candidates on Sunday, predicted that the party will win more than 180 seats in the upcoming municipal elections.