Aam Aadmi Party national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Friday launched a ‘Revdi Par Charcha’ campaign, eyeing the Delhi Assembly elections due to be held in February next year. Launching the campaign, Kejriwal had said that the AAP government is providing six ‘revdis’ [free facilities] to the people in the city, which the BJP will halt if it comes to power in Delhi in 2025.

Shortly after, the Bharatiya Janata Party slammed the ‘revdi’ politics, stating that the former Delhi Chief Minister was making welfare schemes look like Kejriwal was “distributing charity”. 

“It is the duty of every government to ensure that welfare schemes reach every citizen but Kejriwal’s language makes it seem like he is distributing ‘charity’,” Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said. 

What Kejriwal Said At The Launch Of ‘Revdi’ Campaign

Kejriwal addressed the gathering at the launch of the ‘Revdi Par Charcha’ campaign, where he said that the party’s district and booth-level office bearers will contact the voters and distribute pamphlets about the free facilities provided by the AAP government.

“Our workers will hold 65,000 meetings across Delhi to make people understand what these free facilities mean and how only AAP can provide these,” the former chief minister said.

He further stated the government is providing free electricity, healthcare, water, education, pilgrimage for the elderly, and bus rides for women. “Another ‘revdi’ — a monthly Rs 1,000 assistance for women in Delhi — will be started soon,” the AAP supremo said.

#WATCH | AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal says, “Delhi elections are here. We are launching a new campaign across Delhi today. It is ‘Revari pe charcha’. A total of 65,000 meetings will be held in every lane, every mohalla, and every society…Pamphlets will be distributed.… https://t.co/5K0lczeDmH pic.twitter.com/nonrXru0NO

— ANI (@ANI) November 22, 2024

The AAP supremo alleged that the saffron party wants to stop all the free facilities provided by the AAP government in the national capital.

“The BJP is in power in 20 states and not even in a single state do they provide any of these free ‘revdis’. This is because they don’t have the intention; only AAP knows how to provide these facilities,” Kejriwal said. 

He added that party workers will ask the voters in Delhi about what the BJP has done for the national capital in the last 10 years as “the national capital is a half-state and the central government has as many powers as we do”.

Kejriwal said that the BJP has only tried to halt the AAP government’s developmental works in the past decade. He also said that the BJP has government in 22 states and UTs but has not provided free electricity in either of them. 

BJP Slams AAP’s ‘Revdi’ Politics

Delhi BJP chief reacted to Kejriwal’s allegations and claimed if the BJP comes to power in the national capital it would implement Centre’s initiatives in the city and expand the scope of welfare schemes to benefit more people, including the middle class, PTI reported.

“The benefits of welfare schemes are the rights of every Delhiite and the BJP once in power will ensure these rights are upheld,” Sachdeva said.

Sachdeva further charged that the BJP-ruled states have implemented all Central government schemes effectively, which has contributed uniquely to societal progress. “However, Delhi remains an exception, as a corrupt government here has prevented the implementation of many Central government schemes due to political rivalry,” he said.

“Welfare schemes should be accessible to all yet Kejriwal’s tone suggests he is distributing charity,” the BJP leader said, hitting out at Kejriwal.

Sachdeva also questioned as to why Arvind Kejriwal claims to provide free electricity in the national capital but doesn’t extend the subsidy benefit to everyone. He also claimed that the AAP government was exploiting Delhiites through pension surcharge included in their electricity bills, PTI reported. 

He also claimed that the hospitals, schools, and transport facilities in the city under the AAP’s rule since 2015 remained in poor condition. 

The elections for the 70 seats in Delhi Assembly are due in February next year.