AAP manifesto: Many promises need Centre’s intervention

At least 11 of the 28 assurances made by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in its manifesto for the February 8 Assembly elections in Delhi would directly require the Centre’s

At least 11 of the 28 assurances made by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in its manifesto for the February 8 Assembly elections in Delhi would directly require the Centre’s intervention, an analysis of the poll document released by the party on Tuesday shows.

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Like in its manifesto for the 2015 assembly polls, the party kept its first two assurances the same this time too. It started with the Jan Lokpal Bill, a state level anti-corruption ombudsman, and the Delhi Swaraj Bill, which promises decentralisation of governance by giving more decision making power to the citizens through Mohalla Sabhas.

Similar is the case with the promise to grant full statehood to Delhi, which will need a constitutional amendment by means of a two-third majority in Parliament.

But, despite being cleared by the Delhi government, the party said it was not able to implement the promises because of lack of cooperation from the Centre.

When asked why the party repeated the same promises given that the administrative set-up in Delhi has remained more or less the same, Jasmine Shah, a member of the AAP’s manifesto committee said, “To fight corruption has been the ethos of AAP. So, we had to include these points. The Bills will be reintroduced in the Delhi Assembly, if AAP is voted to power. We will actively pursue these matters with the Centre in the coming days.”

The party has promised of regularising contractual workers (mentioned in 2015 manifesto as well) and appointing new sanitation workers. But, the question remains how the government plans to do it, knowing that the subject of services (dealing with recruitment, transfers and posting) is with the Centre via the Lieutenant Governor (L-G).

Experts, however, called the AAP’s strategy a “clever move”.

“There is no reason why a party won’t announce sops simply because it needs cooperation from the Centre. It is in fact a clever strategy to appeal to voters of various sections because, five years down the line, the party can always pass the buck that they wanted to fulfil them, but the Centre did not allow,” said Sanjay Kumar of the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS).

A senior AAP leader of condition of anonymity said, “The AAP is hopeful of a favourable verdict by the Supreme Court in the ongoing case between the Delhi government and the L-G on who would have control over services. If that happens then such promises can be fulfilled.”

The issue of unauthorised colonies, which was earlier taken up by the BJP-ruled Centre that announced a scheme to give ownership rights to around four million residents living in these colonies, also figured in the AAP manifesto. The party said that it would “put pressure” on the Centre to change the land use in these neighbourhoods. AAP also maintained a similar stand for its assurance of granting ownership rights in resettlement colonies, which also was included in the AAP’s 28-point manifesto.

Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia said, “They (the BJP) are talking of giving ownership rights without changing the land-use in these colonies because of which sealing drive can happen any day there. AAP will continue to put pressure on the Centre for this.”

The party has also talked about a Yamuna riverside development project for which Sisodia admitted that the Centre’s help would be required. The AAP has also talked of “pro-farmer land reforms” for which it has clearly stated that it would pursue with the Central government to amend Sections 33 and 81 of the Delhi Land Reform Act. The party said the current law puts “unjust restrictions” on the rights of farmers on their lands and restricts their choice of using it as per their desire.

Another promise which the AAP claimed it would achieve by “pursuing” with the Central government was to give due recognition to Bhojpuri language, which would need an amendment by the Parliament in the eighth schedule of the Constitution.