Previous govts in Delhi ignored needs of villages, unauthorised colonies : Kejriwal

With assembly elections in Delhi just months away, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday hit out at previous governments for deliberately ignoring the needs of villages and unauthorised colonies here, alleging they just played politics and indulged in corruption.

Kejriwal made the remarks at the inauguration of a 1.65-crore litre underground reservoir and booster pumping station in the Mundaka assembly constituency which will augment water supply in 14 villages and 27 unauthorised colonies.

"Our party was formed just 7-8 years ago. We gave you drinking water, constructed roads and drains in just four years. Couldn't they do it in the last 70 years? They could have, but they did not want to," Kejriwal said.

"I remember, the Congress and the BJP would seek votes by promising regularisation of unauthorised colonies and development work. But they never did anything. They just played politics and indulged in corruption," he alleged.

Many people credit the Congress with bringing about development in Delhi, but "I couldn't see anything. Had that been the case, your villages would have got drinking water at least", he said.

The previous Congress government constructed roads and flyovers in VIP areas, but ignored villages and unauthorised colonies, the chief minister alleged.

"After you made a common man the chief minister, we made power and water supply free. No party has done it before. This has happened for the first time in India," he said.

The UGR project, which would cost Rs 65 crore, will benefit 5.36 lakh residents of Karala, Majri, Madanpur Dabas, Ranikhera, Rasulpur, Ladpur, Kanjhawala, Jheemar Pura, Ghevra, Nizampur, Tatesar, Sawada, Jaunti, Garhi and Rindhala.

These areas had been reeling under a water crisis. The situation was similar to Rajasthan, the chief minister added.