Asked if he had spoken to AAP’s INDIA allies before announcing “guarantees” that the party has promised to fulfill if the Opposition bloc wins the Lok Sabha polls, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today apologised to his allies and said “there was no time”. The AAP national convenor, however, added that he believes that no INDIA ally will have objection to his promises of opening schools and hospitals.
Mr Kejriwal was also asked if he in the running for the Prime Minister’s post. “No, I am not,” he replied, adding that he will ensure that the AAP’s guarantees are fulfilled if Opposition parties come to power.
Addressing a press meet after a meeting with AAP MLAs today, he announced 10 “Kejriwal’s guarantees”. “I have not discussed these with our INDIA allies. But I believe no INDIA bloc member will have any problem with these guarantees. I will ensure these are fulfilled,” said the Delhi Chief Minister, flanked by top AAP leaders.
“These 10 guarantees are a vision for a New India. Some of these works should have been done in the past 75 years, but could not be done. There are some works without which no nation can be powerful. These works will be taken up on a war footing,” he said.
The AAP leader said people must decide if they want to believe Modi’s guarantees or Kejriwal’s guarantees. “We have fufilled all guarantees we announced ahead of earlier elections. Modiji will retire next year. There is no clarity on who will fulfill his guarantees after that. But Kejriwal is here to stay, so I will ensure Kejriwal’s guarantees are fulfilled,” he said.
The 10 guarantees include 24X7 power supply, good education and health facilities and creating of two crore jobs for youngsters every year. “We worked on ensuring 24×7 power supply in Punjab and Delhi. We can do it in the entire country. The government schools in the country are in a bad shape. We will arrange good quality education across the country. We know how to do it,” he said.
The Delhi Chief Minister, who is out on interim bail to campaign for the election, also promised to end the Agniveer scheme for recruiting solders and ensure that farmers get a Minimum Support Price for their crops in line with the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission. “China has occupied our land and we will free it from their occupation,” he said, listing full statehood for Delhi as another guarantee.
To a question on whether he had run the promises past his partners in the INDIA Opposition bloc, the AAP leader said with folded hands, “I apologise for that. There is less time, the polls are halfway through. But I understand that they should not have any objection to opening schools and hospitals,” he said, adding, “When the government is formed, I will get these done.”
The AAP leader, who was arrested in March by the Enforcement Directorate in Delhi liquor policy case, has been granted interim bail by the Supreme Court to let him campaign for the Lok Sabha polls. He has to surrender on June 2, a day after the last round of polling in the seven-phase election.
