Aam Aadmi Party convener Arvind Kejriwal with party leaders releasing his party's manifesto for Delhi Assembly election 2013 in New Delhi
Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit has promised Delhi double-decker flyovers and a special focus on the services sector if it re-elects her for a fourth straight term. Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party or AAP has promised to rid the capital of corruption and protect honest officers.
Delhi votes for a new Assembly on December 4 and both the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party, which debuts in these elections, released their manifestos today.
The ruling Congress says it has more development lined up and will also focus on food security. "65% of our budget has been allocated to the social sector. Delhi has the highest per capita income in the country. It's a prosperous city," said Mrs Dikshit, who has been chief minister for the last 15 years. She has promised to make it richer.
The Congress has also wooed the migrant population of Delhi and has promised that it will ensure dedicated hawking zones so that they are not harassed by the police. "Migrants come here every year and whoever comes to Delhi once, doesn't leave, that's how good the city is," she said.
Mr Kejriwal's party has promised to cut the electricity bills of Delhi'ites by half by auditing all discoms. It has also promised the capital, portions of which see acute water shortage, 700 litres of water for each household every day.
And, it says, if it is voted to power, AAP will appoint a Jan Lokpal or an anti-corruption ombudsman within 15 days by calling an open session of the Delhi Assembly on December 29. All officials, including the chief minister, will be under the ombudsman's jurisdiction and those found guilty of corruption will be sacked, sent to jail and their property will be confiscated, the party promises.
AAP has described its 50-page manifesto as one for the common people or
aam aadmi.
The BJP is expected to release its Delhi manifesto on Friday.