New Delhi, Jan 3: Sounding the BJP's poll bugle for Delhi Assembly elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday compared the ruling AAP government to a calamity or "AAPada" destroying the city and unveiled a new slogan "AAPada ko hatana hai, BJP ko lana hai".

In an hour-long speech at the inauguration of EWS flats for slum dwellers in Ashok Vihar in North Delhi, PM Modi, without naming the AAP or its leader Arvind Kejriwal, pilloried the Delhi government for alleged corruption in 'Sheesh Mahal', Yamuna cleaning, liquor policy and failure to improve schools and health facilities.

Sheesh Mahal is a reference made in Delhi political circles to the allegedly corruption-riddled renovation of the official residence of AAP leader and former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

"Ek toh chori upar se seena Jori (They are shameless and show no remorse for misdeed)," he said, highlighting that the AAP government has failed to utilise even half of the Central government funds given for improving the education sector in Delhi.

Listing the alleged obstructive actions, poor and corrupt governance of the AAP government, PM Modi said, "Delhi voters want to rid the city of this AAPada and are saying, 'AAPada ko nahin sahenge, badal ke raheinge'"

PM Modi's focus on energising the BJP cadre with a new slogan is significant, considering that his iconic slogans - 'Kharchi parchi' in Haryana and "Ek hain toh safe hain" in Maharashtra - had turned the tide in the BJP's favour in the recent Assembly elections there.

Reiterating his commitment to giving 30,000 new homes to the underprivileged in the city as part of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana - Urban, PM Modi took a swipe at the alleged corruption perpetrated by the ruling AAP, saying he could have also built a "Sheesh Mahal" for himself but for him houses for the poor were more important.

PM Modi hit out at the AAP and Kejriwal for misleading Delhiites with hollow promises of fighting graft. "They used Anna Hazare's anti-corruption campaign as a front and pushed the city towards corruption," he said, adding that Delhiites have been cheated by people who took fake oaths to fight corruption.

Hinting at strict punishment for the corrupt, especially for the AAP leaders facing alleged corruption and money laundering cases, he said, "When AAPada goes and the BJP government comes, these issues will also be tackled."

He promised to give Delhiites the benefits of the nationwide health insurance under Ayushman Bharat and highlighted the plans of the central government to pay up to Rs 75,000 subsidy to every household which joins the free power scheme linked to PM - Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana.

While hitting out at the AAP government for blocking Central government-funded schemes and projects, PM Modi said 75 lakh people in Delhi were availing free ration under 'One Nation, One Ration Card scheme', which ended corruption linked to getting new ration cards.

Answering rivals' questions on what were the contributions of the Central government in Delhi's development, PM Modi highlighted that 500 Janaushadhi Kendras were opened in the city for affordable medicines and highways were build to fight vehicular pollution in the city.

"It is because of hurdles created by them that your servant Modi is unable to serve you," said the PM, alleging that the AAP government had failed to provide even roads and sewers in unauthorised colonies while the Central government was busy organising camps to hand over ownership rights to residents.

He said a polluted Yamuna had also prevented Poorvanchalis from offering prayers in the holy river.

PM Modi said great progress was made by the Central government ministries in Delhi wherever there was no interference from the AAP government.

"The DDA is building houses for EWS people and highways are being built to rid the city of traffic jams by the Union highways ministry," he said, announcing that the infrastructure projects, including Metro extension and new tunnels and highways, proposed by the seven BJP MPs for Delhi's development recently have been given in-principle approval.

The elections to pick a new 70-member Assembly in Delhi are likely to be held around February. The BJP had last won the Assembly polls in 1993 and is now looking to ride the wave of PM Modi's popularity and return to power after 26 years. The ruling AAP came to power in 2014 on the promise of fighting corruption, ending the 15-year rule of a Congress government led by Sheila Dikshit.

--IANS

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