Delhi Assembly Elections 2025 | 'Never seen a liar like Arvind Kejriwal': Amit Shah

New Delhi: Unveiling BJP's fresh promises for the Delhi elections, Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday launched a scathing attack on Arvind Kejriwal claiming that he has not seen a person who lies without batting an eyelid like the AAP chief and the main issue in this polls is to "get rid of liars and betrayers".

Calling for giving "an opportunity to the BJP under the leadership of (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi-ji" to address Delhi's "all problems" in five years, Shah claimed that corruption has "never been so high" as it is under Kejriwal-led AAP while mentioning renovation of 'Sheesh Mahal', mohalla clinics, Yamuna cleaning and spread of tanker mafia among others.

The third part of the manifesto included full ownership rights in 1,700 unauthorised colonies, integrated public transport network at Rs 20,000 crore, cleaning Yamuna river in three years and developing it on the lines of Sabarmati River Front, 50,000 government jobs, 20 lakh self-employment opportunities, Gig Workers Welfare Board and a Mahabharata Corridor among others.

Earlier, the party had promised Rs 2,500 per month for women, higher social security pensions, free education for “needy” students, Rs 15,000 for youths to prepare for competitive exams, Rs ten lakh life insurance and Rs 5 lakh vehicle insurance for auto and taxi drivers and a Special Investigation Team to probe graft charges against AAP government among other things.

At a press conference after releasing the 'Sankalp Patra', Shah rubbished a campaign by the AAP that BJP will stop the ongoing welfare schemes, saying not a single scheme for the poor would be scrapped. Referring to AAP claims that the BJP is copying their schemes, he shot back, "what did they actually do so that we could copy?"

Emphasising that Modi has established "politics of performance", he alleged Kejriwal was running a government in Delhi, which makes promises but does not fulfill them and then appears before the public again with a "huge bundle of lies and an innocent face".

"In my political life, I am convinced and I have no hesitation in saying that I haven't seen a liar like Arvind Kejriwal who lies without batting an eyelid...The biggest poll issue in Delhi is to get rid of liars and betrayers," he said.

Referring to the alleged high cost incurred on renovating the Chief Minister's residence, he said Kejriwal needed to explain to people why there was the need to demolish four bungalows to build one with remote-controlled doors and curtains and costly marbles.

"Kejriwal had said that neither he nor any minister of his government will take a government bungalow. But he stayed in a bungalow, this was fine, but by spending more than Rs 51 crore to build the 'Sheesh Mahal' (glass palace)," he said.

Shah also claimed that Kejriwal had promised to close liquor shops in residential areas but now he has given licenses to open liquor shops near schools, temples and gurudwaras by committing corruption worth crores of rupees. On Yamuna, the top BJP leader said Kejriwal had not kept his word of cleaning the holy river.

"They (Kejriwal and AAP) have found a new way of not working. If they don't want to do any work then they say give us the status of a full state. When he made the promise and contested the elections, did he not know the status of Delhi? It is their nature to just make excuses," he said.

Delhi Assembly Election 2025 | The first of two state assembly polls this year sees a three-way contest between AAP, Congress, and BJP in the nation's capital. AAP decided to contest the polls alone, causing rumours of a rift in I.N.D.I.A. BJP, meanwhile, is hoping the liquor excise policy scam and pollution in Delhi will give the saffron party an edge over AAP. Kejriwal, on the other hand, has different plans with his demand for reservations for Delhi Jats. Congress will also be looking to make its presence felt and has not held back from attacking its own alliance partner. Check live updates and track the latest coverage, live news, in-depth opinions, and analyses only on Deccan Herald.

Subscribe and follow DH on Whatsapp, X, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram to never miss out on anything.