Launching AAP’s ‘Mission Punjab’, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal also called counterpart Charanjit Singh Channi “fake Kejriwal”.
In a major poll promise for Punjab, AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal on Monday said women voters in the state would get a sum of Rs 1,000 every month if the party is voted to power in the state. Launching the AAP’s ‘Mission Punjab’, Kejriwal also called Punjab counterpart Charanjit Singh Channi “fake Kejriwal”, accusing him of aping the AAP’s poll promises ahead of the assembly election in 2022.
“Whatever I promise, he makes the same promises two days later,” Kejriwal said referring to Channi’s announcement of free electricity for up to 400 units.
Addressing a hall packed with women voters in Moga, the AAP convener asked them not be “taken in by the fake Kejriwal”, and referencing himself added that only one man in India could deliver “zero” power bill. “Announcement of free power has been made, but it has not been implemented; promises of acting against corruption and corrupt officials are being made, but no concrete action is being seen,” he said.
“If we form the government in Punjab in 2022, we will give every woman aged above 18 a sum of Rs 1,000 every month,” Kejriwal announced, adding that if a family had three woman members, each would get Rs 1,000. He said the initiative would also apply to those covered under any ongoing pension scheme.
The Punjab unit of the AAP has made special arrangements for women across Punjab to view key poll promises, with the intention of raking up support from female voters. Terming the upcoming assembly election in Punjab “crucial”, Kejriwal appealed to the women to also convince male members of their families to vote for the AAP.
Kejriwal’s bid to woo woman voters comes close on the heels of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s November 19 announcement to repeal the three farm laws, signifying the victory of farmers agitating for over a year.
In his speech, the Delhi CM also lauded the courage of farmers, especially women, for providing leadership to the movement but did not dwell much on it. The chief minister kept his pitch simple and direct without addressing issues of caste or religion.
The AAP believes that this key poll promise will impact the lives of more than a crore women in Punjab and has the potential of being a gamechanger. Poised for victory in the 2017 Punjab assembly election, the AAP eventually turned out to be a damp squib. The party suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of Captain Amarinder Singh-led Congress.
Kejriwal is on a two-day tour of Punjab and is yet to announce a chief ministerial candidate. The AAP has already declared the first list of candidates, which includes all 11 sitting MLAs.
