New Delhi: The BJP is preparing to announce a slew of freebies ahead of Delhi elections. Up to 300 units of electricity free of cost, monthly financial assistance of Rs 2,500 to eligible women are among recommendations made by Delhi BJP’s manifesto committee.

The committee has also recommended not doing away with schemes currently in place in Delhi and a policy to tackle air pollution. The recommendations have been sent to the party’s central leadership for approval, sources in the BJP told ThePrint.

“AAP government led by Arvind Kejriwal has been misleading people of Delhi by claiming that if BJP comes to power it will do away with all ‘freebies’. PM Modi has already made it clear during the Parivartan rally and our manifesto will also point this out,” said a Delhi BJP leader.

While public bus travel is free for women, Delhi BJP’s manifesto committee has recommended to the central leadership that this benefit be extended to senior citizens too.

In December, former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal announced monthly financial assistance of Rs 2,100 to eligible women in Delhi if AAP returns to power in Delhi. The AAP touted the scheme as a “game-changer”. As finance minister, CM Atishi had first announced the Mukhyamantri Mahila Samman Yojana in the 2024-25 annual budget of the government of the national capital territory of Delhi, allocating Rs 2,000 crore for it under which monthly assistance to women was Rs 1,000.

Delhi BJP leaders, it is learnt, believe it is crucial to present a counter.

“We have planned a series of major welfare schemes for women voters in Delhi including providing Rs 2,500 per month to them under the Laadli Behen Yojana. We have implemented similar schemes in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra and women have really benefited from it,” said a senior BJP leader who did not wish to be named. The leader, however, clarified that the final approval will come from the party’s central leadership.

Ahead of assembly polls last year, Maharashtra’s ruling Mahayuti—comprising BJP, Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar-led NCP—launched the Ladki Bahin scheme, inspired by Madhya Pradesh’s Ladli Behna Yojana. Implemented by Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led BJP government in January 2023, the scheme is believed to have played an instrumental role in the party’s spectacular win in Madhya Pradesh in the 2023 assembly elections.

According to BJP leaders, unlike the AAP government in Delhi which offers free electricity up to 200 units and a 50 percent subsidy for consumption between 201 and 400 units, it will promise free power up to 400 units. “We are also looking to provide free electricity for places of worship for consumption up to 500 units,” said a second Delhi BJP leader.

The leader claimed the party has also chalked out a plan to provide ‘clean air and water’.

“A research team was set up for this and a detailed plan will be made available to show how we intend to address the pollution problem which AAP has not been able to tackle.”

The BJP has been out of power in Delhi since 1998 and sees this election as an opportunity to regain power in the national capital.

In addition to these, the BJP will also promise implementation of centrally-sponsored schemes including Ayushman Bharat in Delhi.

“The way BJP, under leadership of PM Modi, provided free houses to poor people across the country and free treatment facilities as part of Ayushman Bharat scheme shows we deliver. We will also implement these schemes in Delhi,” said the second Delhi BJP leader.

(Edited by Amrtansh Arora)

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