Kejriwal reflects on missed promises; BJP hits back ahead of 2025 Assembly polls

Former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal reflected on his tenure ahead of the 2025 Assembly elections, acknowledging his administration’s inability to fulfil three major pledges made in 2020: cleaning the Yamuna River, providing clean drinking water to every household, and upgrading Delhi’s roads to European standards.

“I could not deliver on these three promises,” he admitted, attributing the delays to the COVID-19 pandemic and the imprisonment of AAP leaders, including himself, on what he described as “false charges.”

“The first two-and-a-half to three years were dominated by the pandemic,” Kejriwal explained at the Agenda Aaj Tak event. “Afterwards, our key members were jailed one by one in fake cases.”

Talks of ample funds, robust plan

Despite these setbacks, the former chief minister assured voters that the AAP government now possesses the funds and a robust plan to achieve these goals. Appealing for another term, he vowed, “Give me one more chance, and I will complete these works in the next five years.”

Also read: Kejriwal launches Rs 1,000/month scheme for women, promises Rs 2,100 post-polls

Kejriwal also harped on the AAP government’s accomplishments, saying, “In the past 75 years, no one would have imagined that children from poor families could access quality education or that everyone could receive proper healthcare. We’ve ensured 24-hour electricity for all. The AAP government has created hope in this country.”

Draws strong criticism from BJP

Kejriwal’s remarks prompted fierce criticism from BJP leader Amit Malviya, who pointed out the AAP leader’s recurring promises regarding the Yamuna River. Malviya shared archival footage of Kejriwal from 2015 and 2020, where he made similar pledges and asked voters for more time.

In a tweet, Malviya accused Kejriwal of misusing public resources during the pandemic, stating, “While Kejriwal claims he couldn’t deliver due to COVID-19 and legal cases, he built his own ‘sheesh mahal’ during the same period. Meanwhile, the BJP completed the new Parliament building and Kartavya Path.”

Kejriwal claimed he couldn’t deliver on his promises because:
• 3 years were lost due to COVID.
• 2 years were consumed by legal cases.

Reality check:
• Kejriwal constructed his “Sheesh Mahal” during the peak of COVID.
• The BJP completed the new Parliament and Kartavya Path… pic.twitter.com/SU1v81RDUi

— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) December 14, 2024

Malviya also questioned the lack of progress in providing clean water, pointing out that the water minister had not been arrested. He accused Kejriwal’s government of prioritising personal luxury and illicit activities over governance, alleging, “In the past five years, Kejriwal built himself a palace and distributed liquor illegally in Delhi, for which his ministers were jailed. Families have been ruined, and yet he asks for another chance.”

People divided over another term

Kejriwal’s unfulfilled promise to clean the Yamuna River by 2025 — first made at an India Today event in Goa — was revisited in his recent speech. The AAP government has also introduced new initiatives, including a scheme to provide Rs 1,000 per month to women in Delhi, with plans to increase this amount to Rs 2,100 if re-elected. Delhi Chief Minister Atishi announced that registrations for the scheme would begin within a week.

Also read: BJP submitted bulk applications to delete names of 22,000 voters, alleges AAP

As Delhi approaches the 2025 Assembly elections, Kejriwal’s plea for another term and his government’s ambitious promises continue to divide opinion.

While his supporters hail AAP’s strides in education, healthcare, and electricity, critics, including the BJP, remain unconvinced, pointing to unmet commitments and alleged misuse of power.