Kejriwal kicks off padyatra to connect with Delhi voters

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal kicked off the second phase of his padyatra from Rajouri Garden on Sunday as part of a series of padyatras across all Delhi constituencies in the coming weeks, aiming to engage directly with the public and address their concerns.

This marks the beginning of a grassroots campaign ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections in Delhi.

Kejriwal emphasised the choice facing voters: to secure Delhi’s progress or revert to an era of power cuts and inflated utility bills.

“This election is not just about re-electing the AAP, it’s about saving Delhi,” Kejriwal declared, urging residents to reflect on the achievements of his government over the past decade.

Broken roads belie his claims: Cong

• Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee president Devender Yadav claimed that Kejriwal’s upcoming padayatra was a desperate attempt to regain public trust ahead of the Delhi Assembly elections.
• Addressing Kejriwal’s claims about infrastructural improvements, Yadav challenged the validity of his assertions, “If Kejriwal’s claims about building a network of 6,200 km of roads and 10,000 km of drains are true, why are the roads broken and why does the city flood every monsoon?”
• “Why are people getting inflated bills in the first place? What prevents the AAP government from waiving these charges now, with four months left in office?” he asked.

During a press conference, senior AAP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh shared details about the successful first phase of the padyatras, where Kejriwal received enthusiastic support from the public. “Wherever he went, people expressed their affection, acknowledging that he is the only person who has shown change in Delhi over the past 10 years in sectors like education, health and public transportation,” Singh noted.

However, the padyatras have not been without controversy. Singh accused the BJP of attempting to disrupt Kejriwal’s efforts, claiming, “They tried to stop his padyatra and even attacked him while breaking through security.” Undeterred by these challenges, Singh affirmed that Kejriwal would continue the padyatra, which would extend throughout November and December.

“The aim is to reach every person and inform them about how the BJP is obstructing Delhi’s progress,” he said, highlighting the need to communicate the AAP’s accomplishments over the past decade.

Singh challenged the BJP to engage in an open debate on governance, asking, “Can they name one of the 22 states where they govern that provides free electricity or has schools with world-class facilities?” He emphasised the AAP’s achievements in transforming Delhi’s education system, creating exemplary schools. Meanwhile, Kejriwal took to X to address the importance of youth participation in the electoral process.