Satna (Madhya Pradesh): After Chhattisgarh, the Aam Admi Party (AAP) announced guarantees for poll-bound BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh, including free electricity, water, education, health services and others. Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann reached Satna on Sunday and sounded the poll bugle in the state.
Addressing a public meeting in the district, Kejriwal appealed people to give AAP a chance to fulfill the guarantees. He said that if AAP is given a chance to serve the state then people will forget both the BJP and the Congress. "We are a people's party. We are not a party of the leaders. We have come here not to ask for votes but for a chance to serve people with our guarantees. All parties criticise each other. While Congress criticises the BJP, the BJP criticised the Congress. But, criticisms don't fill stomachs or build the nation. We don't know how to abuse. We know how to build the nation," said Kejriwal at a programme in Satna.
Kejriwal's statement assumes significance as AAP and Congress are part of the opposition parties alliance, INDIA Bloc. Elaborating on the purpose behind setting up the party, Kejriwal said that people like him are in politics not to earn money but to build the nation. "I left the job of an income tax commissioner. We broke away from the Anna Andolan for nation-building. Ask anyone in Delhi and Punjab and they will tell you that it is impossible to oust AAP from these two states in the next 50 years," he said.
Deliberating on the guarantees, Kejriwal said AAP will waive off electricity bills till November, upgrade government schools at par with private ones and provide free education to all children. He said that government hospitals will provide health facilities free of cost and free health clinics will be set up across the state. He said that every youth will get employment and till then, a monthly allowance of Rs 3000 will be provided to the unemployed. "We appeal to you to give us a chance. We will definitely fulfill our guarantees," he said.
Speaking at the programme, Mann asked people to keep the manifesto safely because it is a guarantee letter and not a useless piece of paper that is given by other parties. "This is Kejriwal's guarantee, just like the flow of Ganges, guarantees given by Kejriwal cannot be changed. The guarantees are announced after doing a thorough homework," Mann said.
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Taking a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's degree controversy, Mann said, "Thanda means Coca-Cola, and nowadays illiterate means Narendra Modi, fourth pass". "Modi ji often says that double engine government is much more effective but if the engine has power, then even if it is single it can work very well. I want to tell you that double engine is not needed here. What we need is a new engine. The existing engine needs to be changed. Arvind Kejriwal's engine is needed as it doesn't pollute but is always vigilant," Mann added.
