New Delhi, Apr 16 (PTI) The AAP has fulfilled its first poll promise in Punjab and it will not let lack of funds hinder the state's progress, party national convenor Arvind Kejriwal said on Saturday, after Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann announced 300 units of free power a month for every household there.

Taking to Twitter, he said the Punjab government will "save money" by ending corruption and take the state on the path of progress.

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In Punjab, an honest and patriotic government "with clear intentions" has come, Kejriwal, who is the chief minister of Delhi, said.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) does what it says and it does not make false promises like other parties, he said, while congratulating Mann for his government's decision to provide free power supply up to 300 units to the state's people.

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"Bhagwant ji, many congratulations for this wonderful decision. We fulfilled our first promise. We do what we say. We don't make false promises like other parties," Kejriwal tweeted in Hindi.

"Now an honest and patriotic government with clear intentions has come. (It) Will save money by ending corruption. (It) Will not let the lack of money come in the way of Punjab's progress," he said.

Addressing a virtual press conference later, Kejriwal, without naming anyone, slammed leaders of rival parties for calling him a liar during the Punjab elections when he had promised that AAP will provide free electricity to the people, if voted to power

"We did it. We do not take bribes and indulge in corruption," he said, assuring the people of Punjab that the AAP will fulfil all the poll promises it made in the state.

After formation of the AAP government in Punjab, he said several "big mafias" approached him, Mann, ministers, party MLAs and leaders seeking favours by offering bribe.

"All the big mafias, who were looting Punjab, started approaching me, Mann, our ministers, MLAs, party functionaries, asking what is the system in your party, who has to be approached with bribe" Kejriwal said.

"We told all of them to work honestly, otherwise we will put you in jail. And everything fell in their place. See within a month your electricity became free. We saved every penny for this," he added.

In the last 75 years, Kejriwal claimed, AAP is the only party which has fulfilled all its poll promises.

"There are several people who say that promises made before elections were not meant to be fulfilled, they were just chunavi jumla (poll gimmick), " he said in a veiled attack at the BJP.

"We are not like that. We are truthful, staunch honest, patriots. We are educated. What we say that we do, he said, and asked people to have faith in the AAP.

He expressed happiness over Mann's announcement and said people will get some relief when they start getting free power amid rising inflation.

"People will be able to save some money to spend on their children and themselves, he said.

He also hit out at the BJP government at the Centre holding its policies responsible for price rise in the country

"The policies being framed by other governments is only leading to price rise," he charged.

Kejriwal took on AAP's rivals, saying that instead of appreciating CM Mann for his "wonderful" decision, they are opposing it.

"They are opposing because they do not want this corrupt system to change," he said, adding, "We don't care because we are working for this country."

"We in AAP are going to change the system for posterity," Kejriwal said.

Earlier, the Punjab chief minister announced 300 units of free electricity each month for every household in the state from July 1.

Addressing a gathering at Chandigarh, Mann also said there would be no increase in electricity tariff for industrial consumers while free power to the farming community will continue.

The state's information and public relations department had put out advertisements with the announcement in various newspapers that came out on Saturday morning.

AAP's newly elected Rajya Sabha member Raghav Chadha congratulated Mann for fulfilling the party's first poll promise and hailed Kejriwal for choosing the “right person” for the chief ministerial post.

Replying to queries at a press conference at the party headquarters here, he hit out at SAD and Congress leaders for raising questions and asking how the Punjab government will provide 300 units of free electricity when the state's finances are under stress.

“I only want to tell them--just keep watching how much work this government does,” Chadha said.

To a question of the state's financial health, he said the Punjab government has an “objective plan” ready for fulfilling “all the promises” that it has made to the people of Punjab.

The Punjab government's decision, that comes within a month of Mann becoming chief minister, to provide free power is the “first gift” to the people. “I need not answer their questions. People of Punjab have given them a very good reply,” Chadha said, hitting out at SAD and Congress leaders.

The AAP leader said that the erstwhile governments of SAD and Congress have left Punjab in a “miserable condition”. “It will take too much hard work to make Punjab prosperous and happy once again,” he said, asserting, “the Mann government is committed to fulfil all of the promises (that the AAP) has made to the people.”

Free power was one of the major poll promises of the AAP during the Punjab assembly election.

(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)