Stating that “Delhi requires a healing touch”, the Bharatiya Janata Party’s newly appointed chief ministerial candidate Harsh Vardhan on Thursday promised to bring “radical reforms” in governance if his party comes to power. Further, he promised a “clean, transparent and people friendly government” away from the Congress Government’s 15 years’ “inefficient” rule.
A day after he was named the party’s chief ministerial candidate in Delhi, Dr. Vardhan addressed a press conference along with Delhi poll in-charge Nitin Gadkari, State BJP chief Vijay Goel, Leader of the Opposition in the Delhi Assembly V.K. Malhotra and former State BJP president Vijender Gupta, and asserted that the party will leave no stone unturned to defeat the “corrupt” Congress Government.
“I am very grateful that the party’s Parliamentary Board named a simple party worker such as me as its CM candidate,” he said. “Very few governments have been given the opportunity to be in power for 15 years and despite that the Congress Government has been inefficient. We will gain freedom from this inefficient government in December,” said Dr. Vardhan.
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The former Health Minister promised to bring “radical changes” in the governance and offered a transparent, innovative and corruption-free administration if the BJP was brought to power.
“Even after 15 years, the city is ridden with problems including price rise of essential commodities, rising crime rates, ever-increasing pollution in the Yamuna, high power tariffs, poor education and healthcare,” he said.
“It feels like Delhi is in the ICU and it requires a healing touch,” Dr. Vardhan, who is fondly referred to as ‘Doctor Sahib’ said.
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On his reform agenda, he said he will try to limit public interface between the officials and people by putting in place the best possible e-governance model.
“I will put the best software for e-governance. If I have to go to Bangalore, Chennai or even abroad to bring a fool-proof software, I will go. Bringing transparency in governance will be one of our top priorities,” he said.
About the Chief Ministerial candidate, Delhi poll in-charge Nitin Gadkari said one chair cannot accommodate more than one person at a time.
“I would also like to thank State party president Vijay Goel for accepting the party’s decision in good spirit. When Mr. Harsh Vardhan’s name was announced, he welcomed it wholeheartedly. Mr. Vijay Goel has worked hard to strengthen the party in the last eight months,” he said.
Asked about AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal comparing Dr. Vardhan to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Mr. Gadkari said nobody should take the AAP seriously.
“I think they are frustrated after Harsh Vardhan was named as our CM candidate...In elections, such small parties come and go,” he said.