 "Ahead of Delhi elections, Kejriwal promises free bus rides for students")
Ahead of the high-stakes Delhi Assembly elections, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal has made another major poll promise — free bus rides for students across the capital city if his party wins the upcoming elections.
In a press conference on Wednesday, Kejriwal shared the plan, stating, “We want to make transportation for students accessible. We are working on a model to make bus rides free for students in Delhi if AAP wins the polls.”
Kejriwal’s latest bid aims to woo young voters and outpace rivals in the upcoming election where every vote counts. The proposal comes after the AAP government introduced a scheme providing free bus rides for women, and Kejriwal’s latest promise aims to expand the initiative to benefit students as well.
Kejriwal’s letter to PM Modi
The former Delhi Chief Minister also sent a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging the central government to approve a 50 per cent discount on metro fares for students. Kejriwal said, “A large number of students use the metro in Delhi, which has become expensive. A common student faces a lot of problems commuting. Metro is a 50-50 venture of the Delhi government and the Central government… I have written a letter to the Prime Minister that students should be given a 50 per cent discount on metro tickets.”
In his letter, Kejriwal emphasised that both the central and Delhi governments share the financial burden of metro services. Thus, he argued, both should share the cost of providing metro fare discounts for students.
Kejriwal said, “The expense that will come after giving the concession, that expense will be divided 50-50 between the Delhi government and the central government. This is an issue of public interest, there is no politics in it. I hope the PM will accept this... Post-elections, travel for all students in Delhi buses will be free. We will provide a 50 per cent concession in metro fares for all Delhi students.”
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Election countdown begins
Delhi will head to the polls on February 5, with the counting of votes scheduled for February 8. AAP, which is aiming for its third consecutive term in power, has already announced candidates for all 70 Assembly seats. Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has named candidates for 59 seats, and the Congress is preparing for a tough contest.
[With agency inputs]