AAP's Pre-poll Promises Like Chinese Products, Buyers Will Regret: Gujarat BJP chief

Gujarat Bharatiya Janata Party chief CR Patil on Friday taunted the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and its national convener Arvind Kejriwal, saying "a person visiting the state nowadays" was offering pre-poll promises that were like "Chinese products", which one would regret buying.

The AAP has been making a concerted effort to widen its support base and take on the ruling BJP in Gujarat, where Assembly polls are scheduled by the year-end, and Kejriwal, as well as other party leaders, have been visiting the state regularly and giving "guarantees" to people,  ranging from power bill relief to allowances to women and the unemployed.

"Nowadays, a person visits Gujarat and promises to give free electricity. But, he does not give a guarantee that electricity will actually come. Such promises are like Chinese products. You will regret it if you buy them," Patil said in his address at the inaugural ceremony of 'Vibrant Weavers' Expo 2022' in Surat.

 Attacking Kejriwal further without naming him, Patil said, "That person is trying to lure Gujarat's youth by promising them 10 lakh government jobs. How is this feasible when the total number of government posts at present is only 5.5 lakhs? He even promises to double that number in the next five years, but does not disclose how he will do that."

The BJP believes in the overall development and that is why Gujarat is the number one state in the country in terms of providing employment, Patil claimed. Asserting that the people of Gujarat extend their hand to give something and not to beg, Patil said these people, referring to the AAP, should stop fooling the state's residents with "hollow promises".

During his visits to the state, the Delhi chief minister promised to give people free electricity up to 300 units per month, create 10 lakh government jobs and provide a Rs 3,000 per month unemployment allowance to the youth if his party was voted to power in Gujarat.