Blue flags dotted the venue where hundreds of party workers had gathered in a show of strength. Addressing the workers, Dhawan said they would make the city free from slums within two years of coming to power and all slumdwellers would be allotted houses.

“The residents of slums have been rehabilitated in houses made of tin and have to pay Rs 600 as rent. We will ensure permanent houses for every one. The people who set up shops on the roadside to earn a living will be given booths. The issuing of SC certificates will also be restarted in the city,” Dhawan said.

He added:“Every year, the UT contributes Rs 670 crore to the consolidated fund of the Centre. This will be stopped. The residents pay the highest tax, but do not get any benefits. We will ensure that the money is used for the city’s development. Changes will also be made in the building bylaws and double taxation will be stopped.”

Dhawan reiterated that despite the Congress and the BJP having been elected from the city for the past many years, not much has been accomplished.

“These parties have only made promises and delivered nothing. The local MP keeps saying that officials do not listen to him. This is an insult of the 12 lakh residents of the city who elected him. When I was the MP, we laid the foundation stone of GMCH, Sector 32. Schemes for rehabilitation were also initiated. Both the parties have just divided people on the basis of religion and caste,” he said.

‘BJP, Congress do incomplete work’
BSP General Secretary Man Singh Manhera, said the symbol of the Congress is “a hand without an arm” while the BJP’s symbol, “the lotus does not have a stem”. Like “incomplete” symbols, he said the work done by the parties is also incomplete. The BSP’s symbol, he said is a complete elephant and that they promise to deliver when elected.