Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday thanked the BJP for making its intentions clear that it will withdraw electricity subsidy if voted to power, saying it will give a chance to people to choose between "two conflicting models".
Addressing party volunteers at a gathering in East Delhi, Kejriwal said he was "pained" to read the interview of Delhi BJP leader Vijay Goel that BJP intends to withdraw electricity subsidy if voted to power.
Kejriwal said, "The BJP leader never made any demand to withdraw the power subsidy given by the Centre to MPs, but is now opposed to benefits being provided to the people. He continues to accept massive subsidies on food, even as the people suffer. But I want to thank him for saying this publicly before the election. Now the people can choose between the two conflicting models."
Kejriwal said he introduced all the facilities for the common man whether it was healthcare or education because he understands the pain of the common man.
He urged the volunteers to take leave from work and start preparations for the upcoming polls in Delhi which are to be held early next year. He asserted that each and every individual living in the national Capital has been benefited by the policies of his Government and, because of the work done by them in the last five years, even Congress and BJP workers will vote for AAP in the upcoming polls.
AAP party spokesperson Raghav Chadha also hit out at the BJP, saying these comments should be treated as "desperate and patently anti-poor" BJP announcements that it will fight the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections on the agenda of electricity "subsidy wapsi".
Senior AAP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh also slammed the BJP for "opposing" the Government's scheme to provide free electricity up to 200 units to the residents of the national Capital.
Referring to the statement of senior BJP leader Vijay Goel, Singh said "Today BJP leader said that if they come to power then they will withdraw the scheme of free electricity up to 200 units. It is clear now that the BJP is anti-poor, anti-people. The BJP will take away pro-people schemes if come to power," he added.
He said that at the time when everywhere the price of electricity is on the rise and people in other States are getting electricity in Rs 8,9,12 or 14, while the AAP Government is giving free electricity.
"I want to ask the BJP leaders that have they ever given any benefit in terms of education, health, electricity or water for the people in the States they are in power? But the BJP has waived Rs 5.5 lakh crore loan of the industrialists in the last five years," he alleged.
The BJP has also allowed Rs 10.50 lakh crore as NPAs (non-performing assets) by the banks to the industrialists that have devastated the banks and lastly, the BJP has taken 1.76 lakh crore from the RBI to manage this situation," said Singh.
Singh also said that the BJP will not come to power because the people of Delhi have made up their mind to vote for AAP. He said "As a Rajya Sabha MP, Goel gets 5,000 units per month free electricity which makes 60,000 free units per year but when the AAP Government provided 200 units free electricity to poor people the BJP opposes it.