Delhi Elections 2013

INTERVIEW

Author: Ankur Paliwal

We have given Delhi’s pride, Metro, to its people. It is one of the finest public transport services and caters to 2.5 million passengers every day. In its third phase, Metro will connect many large and small colonies of Delhi. It is because of our initiative that Delhi has the world’s largest fleet of Compressed Natural Gas-propelled buses. Delhi Transport Corporation is running 6,000 buses, 25 per cent of which are air-conditioned. The bus fleet caters to 4 million passengers daily.

ANALYSIS

Author: Ankur Paliwal

Sheila Dikshit, chief minister of the national capital for the past 15 years, has unveiled a bundle of promises for Delhi in her party’s manifesto. In the elections, to be held on December 4, she faces tough challenge from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Serious corruption charges levelled against the Congress is another big challenge. In the party’s manifesto for Delhi, Dikshit reminds people of her government’s achievements, which include Metro, the world’s largest fleet of CNG-propelled buses, regularisation of 895 unauthorised colonies and access to piped water supply to 82 per cent of the population.

INTERVIEW

Author: Kumar Sambhav Shrivastava

The only long-term solution to the problem of air pollution is to improve public transport. Only when public transport becomes comfortable and convenient will people stop using personal cars, which are the biggest source of Delhi's pollution. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is committed to improving and expanding the public transport system. We would also give incentives for use of less-polluting fuels, like CNG. Controlling air pollution is also important for the health of people, since one-fourth of health problems are because of Delhi's polluted air.

ANALYSIS

Author: Kumar Sambhav Shrivastava

The manifesto released by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for the upcoming Delhi Assembly Elections 2013 can be seen as a populist one as it offers everything on the platter ranging from free water, electricity and healthcare at lower prices to availability of sanitation facilities, subsidies on solar power production and an innovative decentralisation in form of “Mohalla Sabhas”. The party, which has released a separate manifesto for each of the 70 constituencies, has, however, failed to present how it plans to execute the proposed ideas, thus leaving many questions unanswered. The plans it has proposed may also take a toll on the taxpayer’s pockets if the party fails to pump in the money it needs to execute them.

INTERVIEW

Author: Anupam Chakravartty

There should be coordination between departments in the municipal corporation and the state government to make transportation hassle free across the National Capital Region. Improving point-to-point connectivity through intermodal transport will help ensure this. There should be connectivity between Metro stations, interior areas and schools. This would help reduce pollution, traffic congestion and accidents involving children to a great extent. There should be a policy wherein buses would ferry children from Metro stations to schools against a comprehensive ticket, priced at a rate much lower than that charged by the school bus.

ANALYSIS

Author: Anupam Chakravartty

From checking the prices of vegetables by setting up more cold storages to cutting the cost of electricity, to plans to ease pedestrian traffic in the city, the Bhartiya Janata Party or BJP's 16-page election manifesto for Delhi ahead of state Assembly polls is high on promises. Party workers and leaders urge that constituency manifestos are something that voters should watch out for. “All the 70 constituencies will have their own manifestos, which will help the voters understand their candidate well,” says media coordinator, Ravi Gupta. (Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party has accused BJP of lifting their idea of a separate manifesto for each Assembly constituency).