'Arvind Advertisement Party': Cong's dig at AAP over ads in Gujarat by Punjab govt

Calling it "Arvind Advertisement Party", Congress on Tuesday stepped up attack on AAP accusing its government in Punjab of spending public money on advertisements in poll-bound Gujarat for furthering the party's electoral prospects.

Party spokesperson Ajoy Kumar told a press conference that the spending of Rs 36 crore by Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government in two months in Gujarat comes at a time when the state was unable to pay salaries in the last 60 days.

Congress' sharp attack on the AAP came as Kejriwal hit Gujarat streets in the past couple of days as part of his party's campaign in the poll-bound state.

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Kumar claimed that AAP could be called "Arvind Advertisement Party or Arvind Actors Party or Arvind Aish Party" for its involvement in corruption and spending public money on advertisements.

"In 2015, the AAP spent Rs 81 crore on advertisement through TV and print. In 2017-18, it was Rs 117 crore while it was Rs 200 in 2019, Rs 490 crore in 2021-22. Under Sheila Dikshit's Delhi government, the advertisement budget was Rs 11 crore. The Punjab government may not be able to pay salaries for 60 days but TV channel owners, especially in Gujarat, are happy," he said.

Kumar alleged that the AAP government spent Rs 19 crore on advertisement on scheme of education loans for students but gave scholarship of Rs 20 lakh to just two students. While Rs 23 crore was spent on advertisement on stubble decomposer, he claimed, work of Rs five lakh was only done. "This is AAP's political model," he added.

Describing the much discussed "Delhi model" as "fake model", Kumar asked if the education policy of AAP's Delhi government was great, why were students moving out of government schools to private schools. He alleged that money was handed over for constructing 7,000 classrooms but only 4,000 were built.

He also alleged that the AAP was just inaugurating infrastructure projects started by the Dikshit government. "The Kejriwal government has not built a single fly over...a single hospital," he said.

Kumar was also critical of the Delhi liquor policy, which has landed at the CBI doorsteps.

"On a Rs 350 liquor bottle, the government used to get Rs 223 in tax, the great Kejriwal has reduced that to Rs 1.9 and said this is the world's best policy. Please understand the corruption, if you have ensured such a profit to private players where is the money going? It is going in Gujarat polls, Himachal polls, in their minister's pocket, in his home," he added.