'One chance to AAP': Kejriwal promises 'education revolution' in Himachal ahead of polls

On Saturday, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann arrived in Himachal Pradesh for campaigning ahead of the upcoming assembly polls. While addressing a gathering at the Town Hall in Hamirpur district, Kejriwal urged voters of Himachal Pradesh to give Aam Aadmi Party(AAP) a chance if they want their children to have a better education and bright future.

Kejriwal pitches for educational reforms in Himachal Pradesh ahead of polls

The AAP Supremo claimed that by making positive changes in the education system of Delhi, the AAP government has secured the future of 16 lakh students studying in over 1,100 government schools.

"If you want the 8.5 lakh students studying in Himachal Pradesh government schools to have a bright future, give a chance to the AAP. The Delhi government spent Rs 80,000-85,000 crores on government schools in the last seven years by allocating 25 per cent of the total budget of the national capital towards education", Kejriwal said.

The leader challenged BJP and Congress and asked them to contest the Himachal elections and seek votes in the name of education and employment if they have the courage. He requested the people with the slogan, 'One chance to Kejriwal, one chance for the education revolution. Then look at Himachal Pradesh".

"I have come here to seek votes in the name of education and health. If you want your children to have a bright future, give one chance to the AAP. We are not so bad," the Delhi chief minister said

Himachal Pradesh elections

In the previous 2017 polls, BJP comfortably gained a majority in the house and snatched power from the Indian National Congress. BJP garnered 44 seats in the 68-seat-strong assembly while the major opposition gained 22 seats. CPI (M) was reduced to just one seat whereas independent candidates won two seats in Himachal Pradesh's 2017 election. It is important to mention here that two days ago, independent candidates namely Hoshiyar Singh from the Dehra constituency and Prakash Rana from Joginder Nagar became members of the saffron party under the presence of Himachal Pradesh CM Jai Ram Thakur. 

BJP state president Suresh Kumar Kashyap lauded this move by the independent candidates and stated that the duo has been supporting the saffron party in the Himachal assembly for a long time. 

The state will go to the polls by the end of this year. It is important to mention here that in the state of Himachal Pradesh, no party has ever retained power since the 1985 state elections. If the BJP is able to retain power like in Uttar Pradesh or Uttarakhand, then it will become the first party to do so since 1982.