New Delhi: The AAP has fulfilled its first poll promise in Punjab and it will not let lack of funds hinder the state's progress, party national convenor Arvind Kejriwal said on Saturday, after Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann announced 300 units of free power a month for every household there.
Taking to Twitter, he said the Punjab government will "save money" by ending corruption and take the state on the path of progress.
In Punjab, an honest and patriotic government "with clear intentions" has come, Kejriwal, who is the chief minister of Delhi, said.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) does what it says and it does not make false promises like other parties, he said, while congratulating Mann for his government's decision to provide free power supply up to 300 units to the state's people.
"Bhagwant ji, many congratulations for this wonderful decision. We fulfilled our first promise. We do what we say. We don't make false promises like other parties," Kejriwal tweeted in Hindi.
"Now an honest and patriotic government with clear intentions has come. (It) Will save money by ending corruption. (It) Will not let the lack of money come in the way of Punjab's progress," he said.
Addressing a virtual press conference later, Kejriwal, without naming anyone, slammed leaders of rival parties for calling him a liar during the Punjab elections when he had promised that AAP will provide free electricity to the people, if voted to power
"We did it. We do not take bribes and indulge in corruption," he said, assuring the people of Punjab that the AAP will fulfil all the poll promises it made in the state.
After formation of the AAP government in Punjab, he said several "big mafias" approached him, Mann, ministers, party MLAs and leaders seeking favours by offering bribe.
"All the big mafias, who were looting Punjab, started approaching me, Mann, our ministers, MLAs, party functionaries, asking what is the system in your party, who has to be approached with bribe" Kejriwal said.
"We told all of them to work honestly, otherwise we will put you in jail. And everything fell in their place. See within a month your electricity became free. We saved every penny for this," he added.
In the last 75 years, Kejriwal claimed, AAP is the only party which has fulfilled all its poll promises.
"There are several people who say that promises made before elections were not
meant to be fulfilled, they were just chunavi jumla (poll gimmick)," he said in a veiled attack at the BJP.
"We are not like that. We are truthful, staunch honest, patriots. We are educated. What we say that we do", he said, and asked people to have faith in the AAP.
He expressed happiness over Mann's announcement and said people will get some relief when they start getting free power amid rising inflation.