On Wednesday, the Aam Aadmi Party introduced its AAP manifesto, highlighting a significant focus on middle-class welfare in anticipation of the Delhi assembly election. Arvind Kejriwal, the AAP chief, presented the manifesto and outlined a seven-point agenda for the central government to consider in the forthcoming Union Budget.”
Arvind Kejriwal urged the Budget to focus on the middle class, suggesting major changes in education, health, taxation, and senior citizen welfare.
AAP manifesto urged the Budget to focus on the middle class, suggesting major changes in education, health, taxation, and senior citizen welfare. The AAP leader detailed the demands, stating:
What Is Under AAP Manifesto :
Increased education spending: Allocate 10% of the Budget to education, up from the current 2%, and introduce caps on private school fees.
Higher education support: Provide subsidies and scholarships to make higher education more accessible.
Boost health funding: Increase the health budget to 10% and remove taxes on health insurance.
Tax reforms: Raise the income tax exemption limit from ₹7 lakh to ₹10 lakh.
Essential goods relief: Remove GST from essential commodities.
Senior citizen benefits: Implement robust retirement plans, pension schemes, free medical services at all hospitals.
Travel concession: Provide a 50% concession on rail travel for senior citizens.
These demands aim to ease the financial burden on the middle class and address long-standing issues in education, health, and senior citizen welfare,” said Arvind Kejriwal, emphasizing the need for policies that prioritize common citizens. “We use tax money for education, protecting the middle class from inflation. We reduced power tariffs, water bills, and improved infrastructure in government hospitals,” Kejriwal added.
The AAP manifesto was released during a news conference where Delhi Chief Minister Atishi and Kejriwal accused BJP leader Ramesh Bidhuri and his associates of “hooliganism” against AAP workers.
Atishi accused the BJP of fostering an atmosphere of ‘terror’ in the Kalkaji assembly constituency and called for action from the Election Commission of India (ECI). She alleged that individuals claiming to be nephews of Bidhuri were threatening AAP workers, grabbing their collars, and burning campaign materials, including pamphlets.
‘Ever since Rakesh Bidhuri began contesting elections from Kalkaji, BJP has created an atmosphere of terror in the Kalkaji Vidhan Sabha region. In every area, BJP workers, and some people who claim to be the ‘bhatijas (nephews)’ of Ramesh Bidhuri, are threatening AAP workers, grabbing their collars. They are snatching and burning the campaign materials,’ Atishi said.
Kejriwal also joined the news conference, stating that the events described by Atishi were not limited to one assembly constituency. ‘What Atishi said is not limited to just one assembly constituency. BJP has resorted to hooliganism,’ he said. ‘Any party or candidate resorts to violence only when they see that it is impossible to win peacefully. BJP is heading towards a historic defeat in Delhi. It will be written in history that a party will lose so badly,’ Kejriwal added.
As the assembly election in Delhi approaches, the tussle between AAP and BJP continues to intensify over various issues. Delhi will go to the polls on February 5, with the counting of votes scheduled for February 8. A three-way contest is expected in Delhi between the ruling AAP, BJP, and Congress. The Congress, which was in power for 15 consecutive years in Delhi, has faced setbacks in the last two assembly elections and has failed to win any seat. The AAP dominated the 2020 assembly election by winning 62 out of 70 seats, while the BJP secured eight seats.