'Kejriwal govt didn't do anything for regularisation of colonies'

NEW DELHI: Accusing the Arvind Kejriwal government of "betraying" the poor residents of unauthorised colonies, Union Health minister Harsh Vardhan on Thursday alleged that it did nothing for regularisation of these settlements in Delhi despite staying in power for five years. Addressing a press conference, he charged that the previous Congress government too "cheated" the residents of unauthorised colonies by promising them ownership rights of their properties.

The press conference was attended by all the seven BJP MPs from the Delhi, including Vardhan and the party's city unit chief Manoj Tiwari, and Rajya Sabha MP Vijay Goel, in a show of strength and unity of the party ahead of the Assembly polls which is due early

next year.

It was for the first time after the parliamentary elections in May that all the seven BJP Lok Sabha MPs from Delhi shared a platform.

The Aam Aadmi Party government "betrayed" lakhs of poor residents of unauthorised colonies in the city and the BJP in coming days will "expose" how the ruling party "failed" the people regarding the 70 poll promises it made to the people to come to power in 2015, Vardhan, who represents Chandni Chowk Lok Sabha seat, said.

The issue of regularisation of unauthorised colonies has been a major poll plank in Delhi as it was in last Lok Sabha polls during which Kejriwal had alleged that the Narendra Modi government had "planned to demolish" them.