BJP inducted Bedi, Shazia after PM's rally at Ramlila Maidan flopped: Arvind Kejriwal

New Delhi, Jan 17: After two of his once close aides Shazia Ilmi and Kiran Bedi joined the BJP, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Friday fired fresh salvo at his top rival in Delhi. Kejriwal said the decision for their induction was taken after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally at Ramlila Maidan turned a flop show.

Addressing a public meeting in Trilokpuri in East Delhi, former Delhi chief minister Kejriwal said, "BJP first called its 200 MPs to campaign in Delhi, then the party called its ministers after MPs failed. Finally, the PM intervened after realising his ministers and MPs failed. But after PM's rally at Ramlila flopped, they got Kiran Bedi and Shazia Ilmi to join the party."

Accusing BJP of razing slums, Kejriwal promised pucca houses for slum dwellers as it presented its agenda for 15 lakh residents of 45 resettlement colonies in the national capital. The party promised to simplify the procedure of transferring the ownership of plot if it comes to power.

"The land in the resettlement colonies is given on lease. If our government comes to power, those who are original lease holders will be given freehold rights of their properties by paying a meagre sum of Rs 10,000 and who are not original lease holders will be given freehold rights by paying a sum of Rs 50,000," Kejriwal said.

Describing Congress as "anti-poor", Kejriwal said, "Previous government had made this provision of awarding free hold rights by paying Rs 60,000 (original allottees) and Rs 12.5 lakh (non-original allottees), but I have proposed to slash this amount so that it could be affordable to you all." Kejriwal attacked BJP for "razing slums."

"The BJP has demolished slums in Rangpuri, Wazirpur and many other places. The Prime Minister says that he will provide pucca houses to the slums. But until that time where will the people whose houses have been demolished, reside?

I reiterate once again that when our government comes to power, all the residents living in jhuggis will be given protection and they will be housed in pucca houses at the same place," Kejriwal said.

OneIndia News

(With inputs from PTI)