India News | Goa: BJP, AAP Engage in Verbal Duel over Kejriwal's Job-related Promises to Goans

Panaji, Sep 22 (PTI) A day after Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal made several employment-related promises to the people of Goa months before the Assembly polls, the ruling BJP and his party on Wednesday attacked each other over the issue.

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While BJP's Goa spokesman Damu Naik termed the assurances given by Kejriwal as "election gimmicks", AAP spokesperson Atishi challenged the saffron party to tell a "single thing" it has done in order to provide jobs to the people of the state.

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Assembly elections are due in Goa, currently ruled by the BJP, in February next year.

Kejriwal, who is also Delhi chief minister, had told reporters at Mapusa town in Goa on Tuesday that if voted to power in Goa in the 2022 polls, his party would ensure that 80 per cent of jobs, including in the private sector, will be reserved for local people. He had also said that at least one unemployed person from each family in Goa would be given a government job and jobless youths will get a monthly allowance of Rs 3,000 till they find jobs.

Addressing a press conference, BJP's Naik said, "Kejriwal is indulging in election gimmicks through his guarantees. Delhi cannot be compared to Goa, as the latter's budget is Rs 20,000 crore, while that of Delhi is Rs 70,000 crore."

Goa is self-sufficient and the state government has already given the benefit of social welfare schemes to Goans, like Griha Aadhar, Ladli Laxmi, Deen Dayal Swasthya Seva Yojana (DDSSY), he said.

"There is already 80 per cent job reservation in the private sector. Why is AAP promising this now?" asked Naik.

After his press conference, Atishi said that the assurances given by Kejriwal has hit the BJP hard as joblessness was the key election issue in Goa.

"Instead of providing jobs, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has been focusing on blaming the Goans for his failure...Before every election, right from the Zilla Panchayat level, Sawant has been promising 10,000 jobs, but I ask him where are those jobs?" she asked.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)