Arvind Kejriwal promises dalit deputy chief minister

GORAYA (Jalandhar): On the day PM Narendra Modi talked in Bathinda of getting more water for Punjab farmers through Indus water treaty , AAP chief played Dalit card in Jalandhar by announcing that if voted to power in Punjab, his party would appoint some one from the community as deputy CM. The Delhi CM made this declaration on Friday here while releasing a manifesto focusing on Dalits, which form 31.9% of the state's population.
In the manifesto, AAP has promised houses for all Dalits, increase in the 'Shagun' scheme amount to Rs 51,000 on the marriage of Dalit girl, and filling up reserve vacancies on the government.Before this, AAP has released youth manifesto, farmers' manifesto, and manifesto for traders.
“Dalits have been used to come to power in the state but power has not really been shared with them. AAP is the only party which would be sincerely working for Dalits and would also share power. After coming to power, AAP government will have a Dalit deputy chief minster,“ he announced while concluding his speech after release of dalit manifesto here at a rally.
Kejriwal made this announcement even as AAP is dithering in announcing a CM face of the party, and in all likelihood it would go to the elections without projecting anyone as its chief ministerial candidate.
The rally for releasing the Dalit manifesto was held in Phillaur reserve constituency. Two adjoining seats ­ Phagwara and Banga ­ are also reserved. Four districts of Doaba region have eight reserve constituency and this part of Punjab has high density of Dalit voters. Of the total 117 assembly seats in Punjab, 34 are reserved.
In his speech, the Delhi CM said that the schools and health services would be “strengthened on the lines of Delhi“ as Dalits were mainly banking upon these but education and health sectors were in a shambles in Punjab.
“I have been told that out of 18 lakh students in the government schools in the state, 14 lakhs are from Dalit families and this shows their dependence on the system. In hospitals in Punjab, there are no medicines, machines or doctors. After coming to power, we shall improve the schools and health centres here as we did in Delhi,“ he said. “We are the first party to have a special manifesto for Dalits,“ he said, adding that AAP had won all the 12 reserved seats in Delhi.