Last Updated: February 08, 2023, 12:36 IST
AAP’s Karnataka president Prithvi Reddy (right) with party chief Arvind Kejriwal. (News18)
AAP’s electoral promises will include free neighbourhood clinics, upgrading all government schools with state-of-the-art facilities, improving public transport connectivity and providing world-class infrastructure in urban as well as two and three-tier cities
In an interview to News18, AAP’s state president Prithvi Reddy said they would want to implement their ‘successful’ Delhi and Punjab models of governance if voted to power in Karnataka.
“We believe that the three parties in Karnataka are divided by names but united by corruption, criminality, and communalism. AAP will provide the best alternative for the state by fighting this election on a unique manifesto that will be all about people’s welfare and developmental schemes,” said Reddy.
As part of their electoral pitch, the BJP in Karnataka has been talking about introducing the Gujarat model in this election. The Congress, which has been buoyant with the win in Himachal Pradesh, is also looking at continuing the winning streak in the southern state. AAP, meanwhile, says their model of governance has been proven successful in Delhi and Punjab and the party is going to polls in the upcoming elections claiming to be the “real alternative” for the people of Karnataka.
“The other three political parties are substitutes and not real alternatives. We have a working model and we want to offer that to the people,” Reddy said.
AAP’s Karnataka manifesto will take some winning cues from the manifestos of the two northern states it rules to make an impact, the party’s leaders say.
“We will use the Delhi model in Karnataka as we have a proven model. We are also talking about the Punjab model which is evolving. Punjab is a larger state and similar to Karnataka because both are agrarian states,” Reddy explained.
Emulating the two states they are in power, AAP promises to provide free power up to 200 units in the southern state as well if voted to power among other pro-people benefits.
AAP’s Karnataka unit feels that there has been growing support in their favour, especially in Northern Karnataka as the people in the region feel neglected. “We look at that as an opportunity for us to build on that need for change and respond accordingly,” Reddy said.
AAP’s electoral promises will include free neighbourhood clinics, upgrading all government schools with state-of-the-art facilities, and improving the quality of education in government schools, say party sources. They will also focus on improving public transport connectivity and providing world-class infrastructure in urban as well as two and three-tier cities.
Reddy said the three political rivals in Karnataka — BJP, Congress, and JDS — have been making electoral promises by copying the AAP model and people will see through them.
“The BJP is talking about building 24,000 classrooms and building Mohalla Clinics. Congress is talking about giving 200 units of electricity and giving a guarantee card. If the Congress was so sure they are going to do it, let them show us by doing it in the states where they are in power,” Reddy said, adding that these parties should not make promises in Karnataka that have been copied from the AAP model.
Taking on the JDS, Reddy also pointed out that Kumaraswamy has been campaigning that he would build a quality school in every gram panchayat.
“Kumaraswamy was given an opportunity as chief minister twice. So people are going to ask him that when he was given the chance, why didn’t he do it,” Reddy added.
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