Delhi Assembly Elections 2025 | PM Modi, Kejriwal battle it out to win over middle-class voters

Modi said the Centre is creating every modern facility after understanding the aspirations of the middle-class but the 'disaster' created by the AAP has given only troubles and problems.

New Delhi: The fight for middle-class votes in Delhi intensified with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday saying that the BJP considers them 'backbone' of Indian economy while AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal unveiled a ‘seven-point manifesto’, demanding that they be saved from “tax terrorism” through measures like hiking income tax exemption limit to Rs ten lakh.

Addressing BJP workers in Delhi as part of 'Mera Booth Sabse Majboot' programme hours after Kejriwal released his demands, Modi said the Centre is creating every modern facility from education to health after understanding the aspirations of the middle-class but the “disaster” created by the AAP has given only troubles and problems.

Modi’s comments came after Kejriwal demanded that provisions should be made in the Union Budget increasing education and health budget to 10 per cent, controlling fees in private institutions and subsidies and scholarship in higher education sector, removal of GST from health insurance and essential items and retirement plan and pension as well as restoration of 50% discount for rail tickets for senior citizens among other things.

Modi hit back saying the AAP is “making a new announcement every day”, as Delhiites have understood their “game” and they are scared of the "impending defeat".

“BJP considers the middle-class to be the backbone of the country's economy...To ensure the middle-class enjoys a comfortable standard of living, the government spends significant amounts of money. We have responded to the aspirations of the middle-class in Delhi,” he said.

Emphasising that the union government spends a lot of budget for the ease of living and ease of travel of the Delhi middle-class, he said the metro system is accessible across the capital and is complemented by a network of national highways and expressways.

The Centre runs most of the top ten big hospitals in Delhi while money is spent on colleges and universities as well as salaries to a large number of government employees, he said.

“Now the AAP should have spent money on building the sewer system, parks and on cleanliness. But these AAP-Da (disaster) people did not fulfill even a single responsibility. Their vehicle will run with the help of lies,” he said.

Demanding that the next Budget on February 1 should be dedicated to the middle class, Kejriwal said his seven demands, which includes raising the IT exemption limit, should be implemented in the interest of the country and the middle class.

"More than 50% of the income of the middle class is being spent on paying taxes to the government...he middle class is paying tax while alive, it has to pay tax even after death...One has to pay tax on milk, curd, popcorn and even 'puja' materials...The Indian middle-class is a victim of tax terrorism," he said.

“To save the poor and middle class people of Delhi from the impact of inflation, the AAP government has made electricity and water free. We built wonderful mohalla clinics and hospitals and made arrangements for free treatment. In the coming days, we are coming up with Sanjivini Yojana for the elderly. Are we committing any crime by doing all this?” he said.