Union Minister for Energy and Urban Development Manohar Lal Khattar has claimed that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) could have won five to seven more seats in the Delhi Assembly elections if Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had not made his controversial statement accusing Haryana of polluting the Yamuna River. Khattar asserted that the remark proved detrimental to AAP’s campaign and cost them potential victories.
Speaking at a press conference held at the Kushabhau Thakre International Convention Centre on Sunday, Khattar pointed out that Kejriwal had previously promised to contest the 2025 elections only after ensuring the Yamuna’s cleanliness. “However, when the river remained uncleaned, Kejriwal tried to shift the blame onto Haryana,” Khattar stated.
The event also saw the presence of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and BJP State President VD Sharma. CM Yadav expressed gratitude to the central government for allocating funds to benefit various sectors in Madhya Pradesh.
New Cleanliness League for Top Cities
Addressing concerns regarding the ongoing cleanliness survey, Khattar acknowledged that several states have raised objections over Indore consistently securing the top rank. “Many states have questioned why they should continue competing if one city always dominates,” he said.
To address this issue, the government is introducing a new “league” exclusively for cities that have consistently ranked in the top three over the past few years. These cities will now compete amongst themselves, with the lowest-ranked city being removed from the league. Additionally, a general category will be created, allowing other cities to vie for the top three positions in the cleanliness rankings.
“This new system aims to create a more dynamic and competitive environment,” Khattar explained.
Praise for Union Budget and Economic Growth
Khattar also lauded the Union Budget, describing it as a visionary step towards achieving Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s goal of making India a developed nation by 2047. He highlighted significant financial relief for the middle class, including income tax exemptions for earnings up to Rs 12 lakh.
“The budget also plans to construct 3 crore new houses, with 2 crore in rural areas and 1 crore in urban regions,” Khattar noted.
Further emphasizing youth welfare, he pointed out that the allocation for youth-focused initiatives has surged to Rs 38,000 crore, a massive increase from Rs 1,200 crore in 2013-14. He also credited skill development programs for reducing the unemployment rate from 4.2% to 3.2%.