Kejriwal no-show for debate, Dikshit questions his contribution to Delhi

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convenor and former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal failed to attend the open debate organised by Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit at Jantar Mantar on Friday, 31 January. Though the debate was scheduled to begin at 2.00 pm and Dikshit arrived by 2.15 pm, there was still no sign of Kejriwal at 3.00 pm. Dikshit, son of late Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit, had challenged Kejriwal to participate in the debate.

Dikshit is contesting the 5 February Delhi assembly elections against Kejriwal for the New Delhi seat, with BJP candidate Parvesh Verma also in the running. Dikshit took the opportunity to criticise Kejriwal, stating that records from the previous administration show that electricity reforms initiated during Sheila Dikshit's tenure generated an annual profit of Rs 3,000 crore, which enabled Kejriwal to provide subsidies of Rs 2,200-2,300 crore.

Questioning Kejriwal's contributions to Delhi, Dikshit noted that Kejriwal had promised permanent housing for slum dwellers. “In 2013, Congress constructed 70,000 houses that should have been allocated to slum residents, yet the houses in Narela are now in disrepair. When any AAP leader visits, ask them why these homes were not distributed,” he said.

Dikshit challenged AAP’s record over the past decade, asking how many homes had been built for Delhi residents. “We needed 8 to 10 lakh houses in the city, yet the Kejriwal government claims not to have constructed a single one,” he said.

He added that Kejriwal often asserts that residents have been made permanent, but documents contradict this claim. Under the Congress administration, about 17,000 people were employed in DTC buses, including 8,500 drivers and 5,000 conductors. Today, there are only 4,000 drivers and 400 conductors, indicating a significant reduction in jobs under Kejriwal's governance.

Dikshit also highlighted what he termed Kejriwal's political posturing regarding the Yamuna river, asserting that only the Congress had made genuine efforts to clean it. He pointed out that 30 water treatment plants were established during Sheila Dikshit's tenure, whereas Kejriwal has not built any in the past decade, and the condition of the existing plants has deteriorated. “Ask Kejriwal who is responsible for polluting the Yamuna,” he urged.

Dikshit had previously written to Kejriwal inviting him to the debate and challenging his claims regarding his work as chief minister and MLA for New Delhi. “I have systematically used data from the Delhi government to demonstrate that your claims are either false or greatly exaggerated,” Dikshit stated in his letter.

He emphasised the need for the debate to rely on credible data, asserting, “Every point made and every counterpoint must be based on factual, reliable data, not on mere illusions.”

With elections in the national capital around the corner, the BJP, Congress, and AAP are clashing directly. The grand old party has been criticising the AAP and Kejriwal for their tenure in office and for the alleged liquor policy scandal. In turn, the AAP has been targeting Rahul Gandhi and the Congress over the party's time in power in Delhi and its alleged “agreement” with the BJP.

The 70-member Delhi assembly election results are expected on 8 February.