Arvind Kejriwal: Budget shows Delhi not BJP's priority

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Saturday that the Union Budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has proved that the national capital is not in BJP's priority list, as he questioned why people should vote for the saffron party when it has disappointed the city just before the Assembly elections.

"Delhi had high expectations from the Budget. But once again Delhiites received stepmotherly treatment. Delhi is not part of BJP's priority list, so why should its people vote for them? Also, if the BJP disappoints Delhi like this before the elections, will it keep its promises after the polls," the Chief Minister asked in a tweet in Hindi.

Delhi's ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government has been demanding more funds from the Centre for the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and the city since the past several years.

Earlier in the day, Kejriwal had said that the Union Budget will show how much the BJP cared for Delhi, saying the city should get more in view of the February 8 Assembly elections.

"The people of Delhi are hopeful that the Union government will protect the interests of Delhi in the Budget. Delhi should get more in view of the elections. The Budget will show how much BJP cares for us Delhiites," the Chief Minister had tweeted.

On January 6, while announcing the date for Delhi Assembly elections, the Election Commission had stressed that the Centre should not declare any "state-specific schemes" in the Budget, as the city is going to polls on February 8.

However, Kejriwal had demanded that the Centre should announce povisions for the city in the Budget.

( With inputs from IANS )