BJP forms 12-member manifesto committee for Delhi assembly polls

New Delhi, Nov 16 (PTI) The BJP on Friday announced a 12-member manifesto committee headed by South Delhi MP Ramvir Singh Bidhuri to spell out its poll promises and vision for Delhi ahead of the assembly polls due in February next year.
    The committee includes three former Union ministers, as well as other experienced party leaders, including Harsh Vardhan, Meenakshi Lekhi, Vijay Goel, Arvinder Singh Lovely Parvesh Verma, Satish Upadhyay and MLA Ajay Mahawar, a Delhi BJP statement said.
    Bidhuri charged that Delhi was turned into a "slum" under the AAP's 10-year rule with the collapse of basic facilities like roads, drains, drinking water and civic infrastructure, and the BJP manifesto will explain how a turnaround will be brought about if the party won the election.
    "The manifesto document will also script how the BJP will fulfil the aspirations and needs of Delhi people that were neglected and betrayed by AAP," he said.
    A comprehensive public feedback will be obtained before drafting the manifesto, Bidhuri added.
    Sources in the party said the manifesto committee will have its first meeting on Sunday.
    The assembly polls for 70 seats in Delhi are due in February. The BJP was routed by AAP back to back in the previous two assembly polls in Delhi in 2015 and 2020.
    A senior functionary in the party said that the BJP will not tinker with the ongoing free schemes of the AAP government and will instead try to add on to the facilities and the services already availed by the people.
    "Our leaders have already clarified that schemes like free electricity will continue and their benefits will also be extended to the middle class in Delhi," he said.
    The Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP has been alleging that schemes like free electricity, water, pilgrimage for the elderly and bus rides for women will go away if the BJP comes to power in Delhi.
    During AAP's 'Padyatra' campaign across different constituencies, Kejriwal sought votes for the party, warning if he did not become the chief minister after the polls, the condition of schools and hospitals in Delhi would worsen, power cuts and high electricity bills would return and free schemes would be stopped by the BJP.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)