AAP pounces on BJP after Himachal Pradesh CM announces freebies

The ruling BJP in Himachal Pradesh appears to have taken a leaf out of Arvind Kejriwal’s book to announce free power up to 150 units, bus tickets at 50% fare for women and free water in villages in the poll-bound hill state where the AAP appears to be making inroads.

The AAP immediately pounced upon the announcement by Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on the occasion of Himachal Pradesh Foundation Day and said that Kejriwal’s one road show in Mandi has prompted the BJP to announce “freebies that they otherwise deride” and voters there should think of what would Kejriwal’s party do if they are voted in to power.

Thakur’s announcement comes as the Assembly elections are slated to be held in October-November this year and seen as an attempt to woo women, middle class and rural voters. The BJP government is said to be facing anti-incumbency but is buoyant by the party’s recent victories in four state Assembly elections.

Read | Parties set eyes on Gujarat, Himachal Assembly polls

While Congress is the principal opposition party, the entry of AAP after its massive victory in Punjab has changed the poll pitch in the state. However, AAP has lost some of its senior leaders to the BJP even as the Kejriwal-led party has assigned the state to its senior Delhi Minister Satyender Jain for a better show.

At present, BJP has 43 MLAs in Himachal while the Congress has 22, CPI(M) and two independents.

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said Thakur’s announcement was the testimony of the BJP’s imminent defeat in the Assembly elections. “There are 18 state governments ruled by the BJP or its friendly parties. Why are these announcements not made there? Because there is no election there.”

“The BJP is enacting a drama of copying Kejriwal’s model of governance. The BJP knows it is going to lose. This is the impact of just one road show in Mandi earlier this month. If a road show can get this done, people of Himachal should think what they can achieve if they install a government of AAP under the guidance of Kejriwal,” he said.

He warned that once the BJP is voted back to power, all these freebies announced will be taken back. Kejriwal will be holding another roadshow in Kangra on April 23.

While senior Congress leader Rajiv Shukla has already visited the state, BJP president JP Nadda also has started his tour in his home state.

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