BJP Vows to Continue Free Electricity and Water Schemes in Delhi If Elected

The BJP has announced plans to maintain the free electricity, water supply, and bus rides for women currently provided by the AAP government if it wins power in Delhi. Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, chairman of the BJP's manifesto committee, confirmed this on Monday. However, the AAP responded by asserting that if the BJP gains control in Delhi, these schemes would be terminated.

Political Reactions and Accusations

The AAP criticised the BJP for previously opposing these initiatives and failing to implement similar schemes in any of the 20 states it governs. The party accused the BJP of making false promises before elections and not fulfilling them once in power. "If the BJP is copying our schemes and claiming it will deliver the same services as AAP did, why would the people of Delhi settle for a duplicate? They will choose the original Arvind Kejriwal, who has already proven he delivers what he promises," AAP stated.

Bidhuri countered these claims by accusing AAP leaders, including Arvind Kejriwal, of misleading the public. He assured that after a BJP victory in February's assembly elections, free services such as 200 units of electricity, 20,000 litres of water, and women's bus travel would continue. Additionally, he mentioned plans to implement the Ayushman Bharat health scheme at their first Cabinet meeting.

Public Feedback and Manifesto Development

To develop their manifesto, the BJP will seek public input through meetings with various societal groups starting Thursday. Bidhuri released an email address, phone number, and #bjpsankalp2025 hashtag for suggestions. Senior leaders have been appointed as in-charges for meetings at assembly constituency and district levels.

The BJP also highlighted issues with current services. Bidhuri claimed that 40% of Delhi residents lack access to clean water and noted that 2,500 out of 7,500 water samples failed quality tests. He criticised high electricity surcharges despite government subsidies.

Organisational Efforts

Members of the manifesto committee have been assigned responsibilities for different Lok Sabha constituencies in Delhi. Parvesh Verma will oversee Chandni Chowk, Arvinder Singh Lovely New Delhi, Satish Upadhyay East Delhi, Ajay Mahawar North East Delhi, Kailash Gahlot and Abhishek Tandon South Delhi, with former Union ministers Harsh Vardhan and Vijay Goel handling North West Delhi.

Former Union minister Meenakshi Lekhi will coordinate activities to gather public feedback for the manifesto. Video vans will be deployed across all 14 districts to collect public opinions. The BJP's Delhi president Virendra Sachdeva is set to launch these video vans on Saturday.

As elections approach for the 70-member Delhi Assembly in February, both parties are intensifying their campaigns. The BJP aims to convince voters by promising continuity of popular schemes while introducing new initiatives like Ayushman Bharat.