Congress releases manifesto for East Delhi, promises toll-free number to connect with citizens

Congress candidate Arvinder Singh Lovely on Wednesday released a poll manifesto for East Delhi constituency and promised launching a toll-free number to "directly connect" with the citizens to enable them raise their issues and concerns with him.

Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, Arvinder Singh Lovely said that he will work on basic issues like water shortage, pollution, unemployment and garbage pile up which have been "neglected" by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

Asserting that he is reaching out to people in every single part of the constituency, the Congress candidate said his fight was against twitteratis, who he claimed, are not aware of ground issues of the people in the constituency.

Lovely's opponents, BJP's cricketer-turned-politician Gautam Gambhir and AAP's Atishi Marlena are quite active on Twitter.

"I am a people's man. I know problems of this constituency inside out and people know me as well," he said, adding if elected, he would launch a toll-free number to seek suggestions and know problems of people so that they can be solved.

Arvinder Singh Lovely exuded confidence that he would sail through in the poll battle as "people strongly want change".

"Both the BJP MP and the AAP MLAs have let the people of east Delhi down, as they have done no work in the constituency in the last five years. Despite the deputy chief minister representing an East Delhi segment, the woes of the area have only increased," Lovely alleged.

Arvinder Singh Lovely claimed the development in East Delhi was carried out during the 15-year Congress rule under the leadership of Sheila Dikshit and "after that, all development works have been stalled".

The Congress candidate said pollution was a big issue in East Delhi, and Anand Vihar and areas near Ghazipur landfill site are the worst affected where people struggle to breath.

In his manifesto, Lovely promised to work on ensuring clean water for every household in east Delhi, employment for youth, 33 per cent reservation for women in government jobs, initiating measures to check pollution, increasing budget for health and education and 'pucca' houses for the poor among others.

Arvinder Singh Lovely said that he has put in details 25 main issues that require immediate attention, including replacing the old iron bridge across the Yamuna river, which has outlived its utility.

Lovely said that the Congress government had begun work on a new bridge parallel to the Iron Bridge, but after the AAP came to power in Delhi, the work on the bridge did not progress.

As soon as the Congress comes to power, the people of Delhi would be given relief from sealing drive, he said.

Lovely said Congress president Rahul Gandhi will address a rally in Geeta Colony on Thursday, which he claimed "is aimed at shattering arrogance of opponents".