Delhi Assembly Elections 2025 | Congress announces 'Pyari Didi' scheme, promises Rs 2,500 to women per month if voted to power

New Delhi: Congress on Monday started unveiling its guarantees for Delhi Assembly elections with Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar announcing 'Pyari Didi Yojana' promising a monthly allowance of Rs 2,500 to eligible women.

The party is planning to announce four more guarantees -- a health insurance coverage of Rs 20-25 lakh each for all residents, free electricity of 400 units, support for unemployed youth through cash incentives coupled with apprenticeship training programmes to enhance their skills and employability and unique ration kits of essential items.

On Wednesday, sources said, the party is likely to announce its second guarantee on the health insurance scheme, in what is seen as a counter to AAP's poll promise of free treatment for elderly. Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot is likely to unveil the insurance scheme, drawing a parallel with a scheme he launched in his state while in power.

Sources said Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, former Chief Minister Punjab Charanjit Singh Channi, former Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot and Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh Warring are likely to unveil other guarantees.

Interestingly, top national leaders like party president Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had unveiled Congress 'guarantees' during elections in Karnataka, Telangana, Haryana and Maharashtra but they have kept themselves away from the launch of its poll promises in the capital.

While there is no official announcement by Congress on who will be launching other guarantees, sources said that Shivakumar unveiling a guarantee for women, when Priyanka had done it in Karnataka and Sonia in Telangana, indicated that the top leadership are likely to give a miss to such programmes in Delhi as the party does not see bright prospects.

Incidentally, Congress Treasurer Ajay Maken was also not present during the unveiling of the first guarantee after the Congress postponed his press conference against AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal to "further explain" why he had called him "anti-national". Congress has said that they will hold a press conference on the issue once they get hold of certain documents it wants to publicise.

At the launch, Shivakumar did not mention AAP or Kejriwal and stuck to explaining how they launched the 'Griha Lakshmi' scheme providing Rs 2,000 for women a month. Congress' Delhi in-charge Qazi Nizamuddin also did not mention AAP while he attacked the BJP for its "false promises" for women.

However, Delhi Congress president Devender Yadav mentioned Kejriwal saying the AAP government had failed on all counts after the party chief promised a "dream world" in Delhi. Congress candidate and Mahila Congress president Alka Lamba referred to controversies and allegations surrounding the AAP.