While addressing her first press conference, CM Rekha Gupta said that her cabinet had decided in its first meeting to implement the Ayushman Bharat Yojna, and also to table 14 pending Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) reports in the first Delhi Assembly. When asked about much publicised election campaign and promise of providing Rs2500 per month to women, she said that it was discussed at the cabinet meeting, but they found that more discussions were required for taking a call on category of women to be given the benefit.

BJP has come to power with too many promises given to electorate during the election campaigns and the chief among them was the promise of Rs2500 to every woman in Delhi. Difficulty to keep the promises given was difficult, rather too difficult, as it is reflected in the first cabinet decision of the government.

AAP leader and former chief minister Atishi, after the CM Rekha Gupta’s press conference, accused the BJP-led Delhi government of ‘breaking its promise’, showing alertness of the AAP leadership. It should be noted that AAP had lost the Delhi election to BJP by only a margin of 1.99 per cent of votes, and hence AAP has not been turned into a party of lost hope. The loss has rather made them politically super active, which is reflected in quick comment of Atishi just after the cabinet decision. The BJP has “made up its mind” to “cheat” the people of Delhi.

It is worth recalling that after defeat, AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal had said, “We accept people’s mandate with humility … and hope that BJP will fulfil the expectations of the people of Delhi,” adding that AAP would play a role of a constructive opposition and be available to the people of Delhi. Kejriwal has also asked his MLAs to focus on their constituencies and hold BJP accountable for their poll promises like providing Ra2500 to women in Delhi by March 8, continuing free electricity, maintaining quality government schools, and free treatment in Mohalla Clinics and government hospitals. Former chief minister Atishi has also said that AAP will ensure the BJP fulfils these commitments and continues the work done over the past 10 years during AAP regime. Atishi’s sharp attack on the new BJP government’s first cabinet committee meeting outcome should be seen in this backdrop.

CM Rekha Gupta also responded on Friday to the accusation and said, “The Congress ruled for 15 years and the AAP ruled for 13. Instead of looking at what they did, how can they raise questions on one day of ours?... We had a cabinet meeting on day 1, immediately after taking the oath, and we cleared the Ayushman Bharat Yojna, which was blocked by AAP. We gave a benefit of Rs. 10 lakhs to the people of Delhi on the first day.”

There were only two states in the country who had refused to implement PM-ABY (Ayushman Bharat Yojna) and one of them was Delhi under AAP, on the ground that Delhi was giving medical facility of worth Rs1 crore, while PM-ABY was giving only health insurance of merely Rs5 lakh. Delhi cabinet that approved the Ayushman Bharat will have two components Rs5 lakh by the Centre and another Rs5 lakh by Delhi making it Rs10 lakhs.

As for the tabling of CAG reports in the first session of the Delhi Assembly, CM Rekha Gupta has made an attack on AAP claiming that “They are worried that when the CAG report will be tabled in the House, records of a lot of people would be exposed.” Referring to the mission of ‘Vikasit Delhi’, she had said earlier, “We will keep working towards it. We won’t wait even a single day. And we will complete every commitment we had made.”

This shows that BJP government is Delhi will have to face a strong opposition AAP, both in the Vidhan Sabha and out of it in the public political domain in the months to come. BJP leadership will have very busy time ahead.

Nevertheless, BJP has certain advantages that the AAP government did not have. For example, the Delhi government officials were not listening to even AAP ministers, since they were put under direct control of Lieutenant Governor, indirectly the BJP led Union Government of India. The functioning of the AAP led Delhi government was hampered due to that. In the changed scenario, when there is BJP government’s both in Delhi and at the Centre, Lieutenant Governor and the higher government officials have become very active, and now working for Delhi while they were working earlier offering hurdles before the AAP government and their schemes.

For example, Lieutenant Governor has started the cleaning of Yamuna work, even before the BJP government take charge in Delhi. The same Lieutenant Governor have been acting like a party in opposition to AAP government – not only on the issues of Yamuna cleaning but also on the potable drinking water from Yamuna, which had become key political issues during the election campaign in Delhi.

Another example is the promptness of the Delhi officials, who have been earlier creating obstructions before AAP government and its ministers. Even ten days before BJP took oath, the Chief Secretary of Delhi has asked all departments on February 10 to prepare draft cabinet notes based on the BJP’s manifesto, wherever it was required. He had also asked all departments to prepare a “100 days action plan”.

Despite these advantages, BJP will have tough time ahead since the party has too many promises to keep, a lot of development works to be done, and social welfare schemes to be implemented to keep its close political rival AAP subdued. AAP on the other hand has shown on the very first day of the BJP government, that they would be very active to make the BJP government accountable on their promises and governance. (IPA Service)