On campaign trail in Rajasthan, Kejriwal slams Centre over 'One Nation, One Election'

Jaipur, Sep 4 (IANS) Sounding the party's poll bugle in election-bound Rajasthan on Monday, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor and Delhi Chief Minister announced a slew of guarantees for the people of the state at a town hall event at the Nirmala Auditorium here, besides launching a scathing attack against the Centre over its proposed 'One Nation, One Election' move.

Accompanied by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Kejriwal told the large gathering: “We are coming to Rajasthan with six guarantees. If voted to power, we will give free electricity. I will be responsible for your children's education. Looting of private schools will stop. We will build wonderful government schools like Delhi. All the temporary teachers will be made permanent. Teachers will not to do any work other than teaching. Healthcare will be guaranteed for all,” he said.

"We will make Rajasthan corruption-free. There is no shortage of money in the government. But there is a need to stop corruption. Mohalla Clinics will be opened in every village and city. Rs 1 crore will be given to the families of martyred soldiers. We will guarantee employment and will provide jobs in government and private sector.

Kejriwal also raised the 'One Nation, One Election' issue.

"After being the Prime Minister for nine years, he (Narendra Modi) comes and says 'One Nation, One Election'. It means the Prime Minister did not do any work. What will we get from 'One Nation, One Election'? Instead, there should be 'One Nation, One Education', 'One Nation, One Treatment'... The son of a millionaire and the poor should get equal education, only then there will be progress. 

"Now elections are held every six months in our country, so Modi ji is facing a lot of trouble. If elections are held once in five years, an LPG cylinder will be available for Rs 5,000, and Modi ji will come after five years and say that he has slashed price by Rs 200.

"Rs 250 a kg tomatoes will be sold for Rs 1,500 per kg. I believe that there should be 'One Nation, 20 Elections'. Elections should be held every three months. Otherwise, he (the Prime Minister) will not show his face even for five years.

"He will travel all over the world and come to India only after five years. Elections should be held four times every year, sometimes in Chhattisgarh, sometimes in Rajasthan, sometimes in Madhya Pradesh... Only then the leaders will be in control. At least, they will come to show their face."

Addressing the gathering, Bhagwant Mann said: "We will make Rajasthan corruption-free on the lines of Delhi and Punjab. We will make the temporary employees permanent. When we came to power in Punjab, there were many temporary employees. It was said that they are 'raw' employees. We said that now the era of raw houses is gone, how can jobs be raw? We are making the employees permanent. We will make the employees permanent in Rajasthan as well.

"We are not 'jumle wale'. We only guarantee what we can fulfil. We had promised to make electricity free in Punjab. We knew that the money had to come from those who were questioning us. When we started catching the corrupt, we had to order for note counting machines." 

Mann also said that what the Aam Aadmi Party did in Delhi, it adopted the same model in Punjab.

"Mohalla Clinics are doing great. We have improved the condition of the schools. Even the children of judges study in government schools in Delhi. We are giving free electricity. We give Rs 1 crore to the martyrs' families," he said.