Ahead of the Punjab Assembly elections early next year, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday, 29 June, announced various promises for the state, including 300 units of free electricity per month to each household, if the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) comes to power.
Speaking in Chandigarh, Kejriwal also said pending domestic electricity bills will be waived and 24-hour electricity supply will be provided if the AAP forms the government, adding that the latter promise is likely to take as many as three years to fulfil.
"We'll do three major works here. First, we'll provide 300 units of free electricity to every family. Second, all pending domestic electricity bills will be waived and the connection of people will be restored. Third, 24-hour electricity (supply) will be provided," Kejriwal was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
'Have to Do for Punjab What We Did for Delhi'
Referring to the changes brought about by his government in Delhi, Kejriwal went on to say:
"When we fought polls for the first time in Delhi in 2013, people used to get absurd electricity bills. The government was colluding with electricity companies, just like Punjab. Today there's 24-hour electricity in Delhi at a very low rate. We have to do this in Punjab."
Taking a dig at Congress leader and Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh, the Delhi CM was quoted as saying, "This is Kejriwal's promise, not Captain's vows. We deliver our promises. Captain's promises haven't been fulfilled even after five years."
Kejriwal's AAP is looking to make further inroads into Punjab in next year's election, after its lukewarm showing in the 2017 polls. Though it did emerge as the principal Opposition ahead of the Shiromani Akali Dal with 20 seats in 2017, it fell far behind Congress, which won 77 seats in the 117-member Assembly.
(With inputs from ANI and NDTV.)
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