Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal. (File photo)

NEW DELHI: In a highly emotive politically-charged speech, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday promised to give the city’s civic management a makeover and make it “comparable to London within just one year if AAP wins the municipal polls” that are likely to be held in April.

He projected his fight with the Centre as a struggle to make way for projects for the “aam aadmi”. Kejriwal launched a scathing attack on BJP in the municipal corporations and Congress, which was in power in Delhi government thrice under Sheila Dikshit.

Addressing a public rally at Uttam Nagar while inaugurating sewers and drains, Kejriwal said the municipal bodies have failed to keep the capital clean. “They say Kejriwal fights a lot. Yes I do, but not for my wife or children. I fight for your rights. So you tell me, should I fight or not?” said Kejriwal, touching an emotional chord with the people.

He cited his fight to get the increase in minimum wages for unskilled, semi-skilled and skilled labour approved by the LG after it was rejected last year.

The CM said that his government was helpless regarding sanitation as this is the primary responsibility of the corporations. “The last time, the people of Delhi gave us a historic 67 out of 70 seats in assembly polls. Now, in the civic polls, give AAP all 272 wards to weed out corruption in the corporations. If AAP gets control, I promise to clean up Delhi like never before,” Kejriwal said.

Kejriwal highlighted education and health as the key sectors where Delhi government has managed to steer change in the form of improved infrastructure and quality. He attributed the positive outcome to the crackdown on corruption.

“Before AAP came to power, the government didn’t carry out sewer works in unauthorised colonies. But we changed that as human beings live even in these colonies. Apart from laying sewers, we are working on regularisation. We sent the file to the Centre a year ago, but decision on it has been delayed. The high court has ordered the Centre to speed up the matter,” Kejriwal said.

Comparing the power rates in Gujarat, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh with Delhi, he said they were the lowest in the capital. “We haven’t allowed power tariffs to go up since we came to power. Why are BJP and Congress not able to do it in the states ruled by them? We have gone to Supreme Court for the audit of discoms and are hopeful for a positive outcome. If the accountability of discoms is fixed and the losses accounted for, then power rates will reduce further,” the CM said.

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