By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday addressed a public meeting in Patparganj area of East Delhi in support of the party’s Lok Sabha candidate Atishi.The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which still has to prove its mettle in Delhi’s Lok Sabha elections, has decided to project Atishi in the area, where the party is confident of a victory.While speaking at the rally, Kejriwal kepy up his attack on the Centre in line with his demand for full statehood of Delhi, which is AAP’s main poll plank this time.

Speaking on the issue Kejriwal said that it is time to see bigger dreams. “Four years ago all of us together saw a vision of free electricity and water. Now it is time look at the dream of a full state. I need your support, vote all the seven candidates in Delhi to power,” said Kejriwal who was accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia.

Patparganj is the Assembly constituency of Sisodia, who has been visiting the area in the last few months garnering support for Atishi.“85 reservation in jobs and colleges, housing for everyone this is the vision that we see for the welfare of the people of Delhi. In the last four year what we promised we have fulfilled, the rest of development work can only be done when Delhi become a full state” added Kejriwal.

Poll Prep

Meanwhile, the Delhi Election office said on Monday that more than two lakh hoardings across the city had been removed in line with the poll code.The Chief Election Officer (CEO) also said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had filed the highest number of applications for media (33) so far, for their social media campaigns.

According to CEO Ranbir Singh, “Nine FIRs were lodged against AAP, six against the BJP and one against the Congress. So far, 425 people were arrested under the Excise Act and 1,68,740 bottles of illicit liquor were seized,” he added.

‘answer for drop in metro ridership’

The Aam Aadmi Party on Monday sought an explanation from Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri over a recent media report of a fall in Delhi metro ridership following fare hikes. The party claimed the move led to an increase in pollution and impacted the economically weaker sections. According to the report, the average daily ridership has dropped by over 3 lakh. Delhi’s ruling party claimed that apart from directly affecting the revenues of Delhi Metro, the fare hike has also forced the metro commuters to switch to other modes of transport. “The Aam Aadmi Party would like to know from the Union Minister of State for Urban Development Hardeep Singh Puri, who is these days taking a keen interest in politics of Delhi, what is his response to the fact that following the twin Metro hike in 2017, average daily Metro ridership has fallen by over three lakh daily?” the party asked. It also questioned the BJP’s stand saying, “Can any of the seven BJP MPs from Delhi show a single letter they had written to the central government opposing the hike? ... Does the Delhi BJP endorse the statement of Mr Hardeep Singh Puri...?”