In Delhi, how AAP sops have echoed as BJP, Cong’s poll theme song after 2013

The Kejriwal-led government 1.0 lasted for 49 days. However, riding on its welfare plank marked with pledges for free power and water along with mohalla clinics and revamped government schools, the AAP swept the 2015 polls – followed by another sweep in 2020 – forcing the two national parties to follow its playbook.

2025 manifestos

For the upcoming polls, the BJP has released two manifestos so far, both replete with sops aimed not just at the poor and women but also specific segments of people with lower incomes. It has pledged a monthly allowance of Rs 2,500 for women. Poor women would get a subsidy of Rs 500 per LPG cylinder, and a free cylinder each on Holi and Diwali. The party has also promised six nutritional kits, plus Rs 21,000 for every pregnant woman.

The BJP has stated it will continue with the existing welfare schemes of the AAP government. Ayushman Bharat, it says, would be implemented in Delhi to provide a health cover of Rs 5 lakh, added to which would be an additional Rs 5 lakh health cover by the Delhi government. The party has promised a pension of Rs 2,500 a month for all people aged 60-70, and Rs 3000 for those above 70, as also for widows, destitutes and the disabled. It has promised food at Rs 5 a plate in Atal Canteens to be set up across JJ (jhuggi-jhopdi) or slum clusters.

In its second manifesto, the BJP has added some more sops. As part of the Ambedkar Stipend Scheme, the party has promised Rs 1,000 a month scholarship for Dalit students in ITIs, skill centres and polytechnics, and free education for all needy students from KG to PG in government institutions. It has pledged Rs 15,000 one-time assistance for students preparing for competitive exams, apart from travel cost and application fee reimbursement up to two attempts taken.

Reaching out to auto and taxi drivers, the BJP has promised them life insurance of up to Rs 10 lakh, accident insurance of up to Rs 5 lakh, and scholarships for their children’s education. For every domestic help, the party has promised life insurance and accident insurance with the same cover, scholarships for children’s education and six-month paid maternity leave.

The Congress has also come up with a variety of sops in its guarantees, although the party is yet to come out with a formal manifesto.

While the AAP government provides free power up to 200 units, the Congress has promised free power up to 300 units. While the AAP has promised cash transfer of Rs 2,100 a month to poor women, the Congress has pledged Rs. 2500 a month for them, matching the BJP’s amount.

The Congress has promised a Rs 25 lakh health insurance cover for all residents of Delhi. The party has also promised gas cylinders at Rs 500 and free ration kits. It would roll out the Yuva Udaan Yojana to give Rs 8,500 a month to jobless youth for one year, apart from promising them apprenticeship in industry.

On its part, the AAP has doubled down on its existing welfare schemes and proposals for various sections, especially the poor and downtrodden. The party has also come out with a manifesto for the middle class to address their aspirations.

2015 game-changer

The AAP’s push for welfarism started dominating the discourse after the 2013 Delhi elections. Out of power and keen to claw back, the Congress started betting on sops, although prior to its defeat in the 2013 polls, then CM Dikshit had criticised the AAP for making such promises.

In the 2015 polls, the Congress promised that power consumption up to 200 units would be charged at Rs 1.50 per unit as compared to Rs 2.8 per unit charged then for the same. The party pledged exemption on all pending water and sewer bills.

The BJP promised clean water for every household, rationalisation of water bills, and the setting up of water recycling units for the housing complexes. Like the AAP, the BJP made multiple promises for unauthorised and resettlement colonies, proposing to construct community centres on vacant lands, provide in-situ housing for slum dwellers, and provide them gas connections and subsidised electricity lines. It proposed to convert group housing societies from leasehold to freehold. It also promised dedicated police stations for women in every district, along with a special women cell in the CMO and self-defence classes as part of school curriculum, CCTV cameras and special DTC buses for women.

In the 2020 polls, the game of competitive welfarism intensified between the three parties, with the AAP proposing to continue its monthly subsidy schemes for power – 200 units with 50% subsidy between 200-400 units – and 20,000 litres free water. The BJP said these schemes would be continued. The Congress promised free electricity up to 300 units.

The three contenders also promised steps to curb pollution. While all of them promised to improve public transport, infrastructure and education, the BJP also pledged free electric scooters for girls from poor families upon their enrolment in colleges.

2013 manifestos

In the 2013 polls, the manifestos of the Congress and the BJP had sought to make an aspirational pitch. The Congress, which was in power in Delhi and at the Centre, proposed to set up a “unified command system” to address the problems of multiplicity of authorities in Delhi. It promised to construct double-decker flyovers to ease traffic congestion.

The Congress manifesto also promised special zones for hawkers. Releasing it, then CM Dikshit said, “NCR should be developed as a common economic zone (CEZ) where there will be common taxation so that the entire area, not only for its own but for the entire Northern India, becomes a hub where there are industries, services that ultimately lead to higher standards of living.”

The Congress promised 30% more seats for evening colleges in Delhi, a University of Health Sciences with five medical colleges, Ladli scheme for college girls with Rs 51,000 additional assistance, creches for children of working women, affordable sanitary napkins for underprivileged women, more public toilets for women, construction of 10 old age homes, offering the option of a second shift to private schools to create 25% more seats in three years, and the setting up of a central parking authority.

The BJP pledged more public libraries in the capital. It promised more cold storages, a common smart card for all modes of transport, a parking master plan, private OPD service by experts in government hospitals, and reservation of 85% of seats in Delhi University for Delhiites. It also promised a monorail and more metro coaches for Delhi, and single-window clearance for new businesses.

The then debutant AAP promised mohalla sabhas to take decisions on public work and maintenance of parks and waste management, a special force for security of women and children, laws to regulate wages and working hours for domestic workers, a unified transport authority for all modes of public transport, making government buildings disabled-friendly, and promotion of solar power.

Statehood issue

Interestingly, before it stormed to power at the Centre in 2014, the BJP had always made a pitch for statehood for Delhi, a Union Territory. The BJP’s 2013 election manifesto promised full statehood for Delhi. However, the party’s manifestos since have steered clear of the issue.

Similarly, while it was in power at the Centre from 2004 to 2014, the Congress remained silent over the statehood demand for Delhi. However, after losing power, the Congress’s manifesto for the 2015 polls pledged statehood for Delhi.

The AAP’s 2013 manifesto demanded full statehood for Delhi, which has been repeated in its manifestos since.