K'taka: AAP criticises poll promises of BJP, Cong, JD-S

Bengaluru, Jan 31 (IANS) Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Atishi on Tuesday said that the manifestos of the BJP, Congress and the Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) in the poll-bound state of Karnataka were "mere imitations" of her party's manifesto.

Atishi, addressing the media at the party office here, said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress, and the JD-S were copying AAP's Delhi and Punjab manifestos, promising free electricity, building 24,000 classrooms, "namma clinics", and guarantee card schemes.

"They copy only the schemes announcement, but their intention is to lure voters, not to actually work or implement," the AAP legislator from Delhi's Kalkaji constituency, said.

"For too long, the people of Karnataka have witnessed schemes being announced with much fanfare but with little or no implementation on the ground. Allocation of resources is being used as a tool to lure voters but the true intention is not there," she added.

Atishi said these parties lack the intent and willingness to provide what they promised.

She also highlighted the difference in education funding, pointing out that the Delhi government, led by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, allocates 25 per cent of its budget for education, while the Karnataka government's allocation is only 12 per cent.

"Without adequate funding, the government cannot improve infrastructure or provide high-quality teacher training," the AAP leader said.

Atishi also raised the issue of regularising lecturers appointed on contract in Karnataka, saying that while 11,000 out of 18,000 college teachers in the state are working on a contractual basis with low salaries, the Karnataka government is not regularising them, citing court orders as the reason.

However, Atishi noted that the AAP in Punjab has proven that a determined government can regularise contract teachers and has already regularised 9,000 teachers and is working to do the same for all.

On the state of schools and educational institutions in Karnataka, Atishi said the government schools are in a poor condition with inadequate classrooms, tin roofs, and lacking basic amenities such as toilets and drinking water, while Delhi's government schools have high-quality infrastructure.

"AAP's impact in Delhi and Punjab is being noticed in Karnataka... as other parties are imitating AAP's promises of free electricity, guaranteed healthcare, improved education and more," she said.