New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) unveiled another manifesto on Monday for the upcoming Delhi elections, pledging free travel on public buses and a 50% discount on Metro fares for all school and college students. Party chief and former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced a comprehensive list of 15 commitments, dubbed “Kejriwal ki guarantees,” a counter to the Bharatiya Janata Party’s “Modi ki guarantees.”
Among these promises is a previously announced plan to provide ₹2,100 per month in direct cash transfers to eligible women beneficiaries under the “Mahila Samman Yojana.” Mr. Kejriwal emphasized that this initiative aims to empower women and address their financial needs. He also pledged to extend free bus travel and Metro fare concessions to female students.
“Today, we are presenting 15 ‘Kejriwal ki guarantees’ that we will deliver over the next five years. The first guarantee is employment, the second is the ‘Mahila Samman Yojana,’ and the third is the Sanjeevani scheme for medical treatment,” Mr. Kejriwal stated.
Other assurances include waiving incorrect water bills, cleaning the Yamuna, ensuring 24-hour drinking water supply for all households, and upgrading roads to European standards.
Acknowledging delays in fulfilling similar promises from the 2020 elections, Mr. Kejriwal attributed the setbacks to the COVID-19 pandemic and alleged targeting by the Bharatiya Janata Party, citing actions against senior AAP leaders, including former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia. Despite these challenges, he reassured residents of his commitment to delivering on the promises if re-elected.
Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, and two other prominent AAP leaders—Sanjay Singh and Satyendra Jain—were arrested and jailed starting in May 2022 on charges of money laundering and corruption. The arrests triggered a fierce political battle between the AAP and the BJP, escalating all the way to the Supreme Court.
Continuing with his list of assurances, Mr. Kejriwal highlighted the sixth guarantee: “The Dr. BR Ambedkar Scholarship scheme will cover the cost of education, travel, and living expenses for Dalit students aspiring to study at international universities. Additionally, we will provide ₹18,000 per month to temple and gurudwara priests.”
In recent weeks, both AAP and BJP have engaged in a back-and-forth over their manifestos, each targeting different voter groups, including women, marginalized communities, and students.
Last week, the BJP unveiled its own promises, which included free education from preschool to postgraduate levels for underprivileged students. The party also pledged cash assistance of ₹15,000 and travel reimbursements for students appearing for entrance examinations.
The BJP also announced that Scheduled Caste students pursuing technical and professional courses would receive a monthly stipend of ₹1,000.
In response, Arvind Kejriwal raised concerns about a clause in the BJP’s manifesto, pointing out that the promised free education in Delhi government schools was limited to “eligible children,” leaving the term open to interpretation.
“Under AAP, everyone receives free education,” the former Chief Minister remarked. “This clause suggests they intend to create hurdles, forcing people to make repeated trips to BJP offices just to secure school admissions for their children.”
A few days ago, the two parties—and the Congress, widely regarded as a distant contender—clashed over promises aimed at women voters, who have now been acknowledged as a crucial voting bloc.
Over 46% of Delhi’s registered voters—approximately 71 lakh—are women, with more registering daily, according to the Chief Electoral Officer of the national capital.
Women, men, and non-binary voters will head to the polls on Wednesday, February 5, with votes set to be counted three days later, on February 8.
Delhi’s Assembly has 70 seats, an overwhelming 62 of which were won by AAP in 2020. The party also swept the 2015 election, securing 67 seats.
