Kejriwal launches ‘Revdi Par Charcha’ initiative in the run-up to Delhi elections
Ahead of the Delhi assembly elections, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal announced the launch of a new election campaign, “Revdi Par Charcha,” set to run from November 25 to December 10. The campaign aims to emphasize the free services provided by the Delhi government, which Kejriwal claims are at risk if the BJP comes to power. These services include free electricity, water, healthcare, education, women’s bus rides, and senior citizens’ pilgrimages.
Kejriwal specifically took aim at the BJP, accusing them of planning to end these welfare initiatives if they win in the upcoming elections. He added that a seventh freebie would soon be introduced: ₹1,000 monthly direct transfers to every woman in Delhi, which, though announced in the 2024-25 budget, has not yet been rolled out.
In response, the BJP criticized Kejriwal for framing government welfare schemes as “charity.” Virendra Sachdeva, Delhi BJP president, countered that it is the duty of any government to ensure welfare schemes reach all citizens, and accused Kejriwal of neglecting several central government programs like Ayushman Bharat, Ujjwala Yojana, and the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana due to political rivalry. He also dismissed Kejriwal’s free bus rides for women, arguing that the Delhi government has failed to invest in enough functional buses for the city.
Meanwhile, Delhi BJP election manifesto committee head, Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, stated that the BJP would reduce electricity rates, ensure clean drinking water, and fulfill the promise of free bus travel for women by introducing 10,000 buses. He claimed the free bus services provided by the AAP are ineffective, pointing out that Delhi’s current fleet consists largely of buses funded by the central government. He also criticized Delhi’s public hospitals for a lack of essential resources, claiming that even the Supreme Court has criticized the city’s healthcare infrastructure.
The Delhi assembly elections are anticipated to take place in early 2025. Currently, AAP holds 59 seats in the Delhi Assembly, while the BJP has just seven. AAP’s strategy includes organizing 65,000 small public meetings across the city’s 70 constituencies to promote its free services.
