On the last day of campaigning for the Delhi assembly election, Congress candidate from the New Delhi assembly constituency, Sandeep Dikshit, on Monday attacked the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal, saying that the former Delhi Chief Minister's only "trick" is to give freebies.
Speaking to ANI, Dikshit said, "Arvind Kejriwal has only one trick, which was to give freebies... The people of Delhi look towards Congress for the things that they are agonising for."
Reacting to income tax exemption under Union Budget 2025 up to an income of Rs 12 lakh, he said, "... For the last many years they (central government) have not given any concession. They have given this (income tax) limit according to the inflation; this is not a concession. The middle class understands this."
Meanwhile, BJP MP Sambit Patra has fiercely criticised Kejriwal's handling of the city's water supply, accusing him of profiting from mafia-run water distribution networks. Speaking in Bijwasan, Patra raised questions about the adequacy and quality of water supplied to residents, claiming that Kejriwal's promises of free water were a facade.
"Aren't residents of this area our citizens? Do they not have the right to clean drinking water?" Patra asked, highlighting the ongoing struggles of Delhi's residents who, according to him, are forced to buy water from mafias. "Why are they forced to buy water from mafias?" he questioned further, arguing that Kejriwal was making profits at the expense of citizens' access to clean water.
Patra went on to accuse Kejriwal of earning crores through these illegal networks. "Arvind Kejriwal is earning crores by supplying water in this way," Patra alleged. "You can see a private meter installed here," he said, suggesting that the installation of private meters was a clear indication of the involvement of illegal water distribution practices.
"The only difference between Venice and Kapashera is that water in Venice flows under us, while here it flows above our heads," Patra said, comparing the water crisis in Delhi to the well-known canals of Venice.
Monday marks the last day of campaigning for the Delhi Assembly elections. Delhi will go to the polls on Wednesday and the results of the election will be declared on February 8.
(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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