The Aam Aadmi Party today released its manifesto for the national election and reiterated its promise to push for statehood for Delhi. The party's head and Chief Minister of the national capital Arvind Kejriwal, while releasing the document, said his party would do everything to stop Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah from coming to power again.
"We will support any grand alliance government. The 2019 election is to save nation, save Constitution. We are Indians first, then Hindu or Muslim," Mr Kejriwal told reporters.
"The Aam Aadmi Party is fighting the Lok Sabha 2019 elections in Delhi with the sole objective of making Delhi a full state," the party said in its introduction to the 35-page manifesto.
The AAP said it will ensure "minimum 33 per cent reservation for women in all posts under Delhi Police" if it got full statehood. Currently, the Delhi Police is under the control of the centre.
"We will promulgate the Jan Lokpal Bill to give Delhi the most effective Lokpal, who can investigate any government officer or minister, including the Chief Minister," the AAP said.
The Delhi government has often fought with the Modi government over control of bureaucrats, with the Kejriwal government alleging the centre has been trying to interfere in the functioning of his government.
On infrastructure, the AAP in its manifesto said, "We will enable each family of Delhi to avail a formal pucca house in Delhi within 10 years. The urban poor, who have been the most neglected section by DDA (Delhi Development Authority) so far, will be given top priority by building houses for bottom 25 per cent of the population".
The party said it will not allow sealing of properties, a contentious issue in the national capital where traders complained of knee-jerk reaction by the BJP-ruled municipal agencies to stop runaway illegal constructions.
On fighting pollution, the AAP said it will ensure the city gets a public bus fleet of 100 per cent electric vehicles. "Vacuum cleaning of all major roads, which is the responsibility of MCDs, will be legally mandated within a year along with other measures to reduce road dust," it said.
The national capital grapples with severe pollution in the winter months from industrial and vehicle emissions, aggravated by crop residue burning in neighbouring states.
The party put special focus on education. It claims government schools in Delhi have performed better under the Kejriwal government. "Every child in Delhi will be entitled to free, world class education from nursery to Class 12 (age 3-18 years), so that s/he can become a happy, aware and capable citizen," the AAP said in its manifesto.
Delhi will vote on May 12. Results will be out on May 23.
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