DEHRADUN: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced 300 units of free electricity to the urban populace in Uttarakhand, given his party forms the government after state assembly elections due in March 2022.
"After we form government in Uttarakhand, our first pen will be used to provide 300 units of free electricity. We are not the ones who forget promises and then come back after 5 years at the time of elections," added Kejriwal.
The AAP leader also announced free electricity for farmers and promised to waive their pending power bills.
"We will provide free electricity to the farmers of Uttarakhand. Today our farmers are the poorest and we charge them for electricity. If we do this, our farmers will have spare money for their children and family's well being. We have seen wrongdoing and corruption in generating power bills. Pending dues, bills for electricity will be waived," said the Delhi CM while talking to the media in Dehradun, the state capital.
Arvind Kejriwal also promised that there will be no power cuts in Uttarakhand.
"After getting elected a second time in 2015, my MLAs, ministers walked into every lane, bylane in Delhi to ensure overhauling of wires, transformers etc. Now people of Delhi have stopped using inverters and generators. It will cost only Rs 1200 crores out of Rs 50,000 crores of Uttarakhand's budget. We have done this in Delhi and will do it here. CAG report says Delhi is the only govt in the country without deficit," added the Delhi CM.
Kejriwal assured the people of Uttarakhand that there will be no new taxes in the garb of providing free power to the people of the hill state when his party forms the government.
Recalling BJP's Rs 15 lakh 'Jumla', Kejriwal says the announcement of 100 units of free electricity can also be another 'Jumla' of the BJP.
"My apprehensions were proved right after the CM of Uttarakhand denied any such scheme to provide free electricity to the people of Uttarakhand," alleged the Delhi CM.
Critical of the change of guard in the hill state for a second time within four months, Kejriwal said that the ruling party which has now multiple times accepted that their CMs have been good for nothing.
"There is no precedent for this in the last 70 years history of Independent India. The ruling party itself has proved that they have no suitable candidate for the CM post in Uttarakhand. Though this is the job of opposition, the ruling party is doing it well," said the Delhi CM.
Launching a scathing attack on the Bhartiya Janta Party and Indian National Congress, the Delhi CM said, "God has bestowed Uttarakhand with gifts galore like rivers, mountains, flora and fauna but politicians, parties in Uttarakhand have left no stone unturned to destroy the state. Both parties are in agreement as we can see from the year 2000. They took turns to loot the state."
He further alleged that none of these two parties (BJP, Congress) cares about Uttarakhand and its people.
Kejriwal further added, "Both these parties are busy fighting for a power grab. Who will think about the development of Uttarakhand and the welfare of the people of Uttarakhand?"
He also invited people from other parties to join the AAP.
"I invite everyone who is feeling suffocated in other parties to join AAP. Till date, there was no other option but now you have a good party which is committed to working for people," said Kejriwal in the PC.
Addressing the people of Uttarakhand, Kejriwal said that in present times, the country has two types of education systems- one for the rich and another for the poor.
"We aim to make government schools so good that people, like in Delhi, will send their children to government schools. A large number of people from Uttarakhand, who live in Delhi, want the same development in their home state too. We promise to fulfil their dreams," said the Delhi CM.
Interestingly, Kejriwal in his visit to Punjab last month made the same promises, including free power for farmers, 300 units of free electricity for the urban populace, among others.
The visits to Chandigarh and Dehradun are seen in the light of upcoming state assembly elections in Uttarakhand and Punjab.
Aam Admi Party has been trying to make roads in Uttarakhand as well as fortify its position in Punjab to reap gains in both states.