Mumbai: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is confident of making its electoral debut in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in the upcoming civic elections, said Preeti Sharma Menon, Mumbai President
and National Executive Member of the party, outlining an agenda centred on basic services, education, public transport and clean governance.
Grassroots Candidates Only
Speaking with FPJ team on Tuesday, Menon (57) said AAP has deliberately fielded only grassroots workers with a long history of local activism. “We have not given tickets to helicopter candidates. These are only karmath karyakartas—rigid party workers—who have worked in lanes and bastis for years. That is why I am confident AAP will enter the BMC this time,” she said.
Immediate Reforms, Long-Term Vision
Menon said AAP’s BMC vision rests on two levels—immediate civic reforms and governance changes if the party comes to power.
Key Promises for Citizens
Among the key promises are, free electricity up to 200 units and free water up to 20,000 litres per household, which she called a basic right of citizens, Mohalla clinics and affordable healthcare, modelled on Delhi’s system and Revival of public education, which she described as “Mumbai’s biggest failure”.
Focus on Fiscal Responsibility
“BMC has a budget of Rs 75,000 crore. When AAP started in Delhi, the budget was around ₹20,000 crore. Today it is nearly Rs 70,000 crore—and we never presented a deficit budget. We always ran a fiscal surplus without loans. It’s about fair distribution of money, not money going into pockets,” Menon said.
Decline in BMC School Enrolment
She expressed concern over the steep decline in enrolment in BMC schools. “Mumbai has fewer than three lakh students left in BMC schools, while Delhi, a city of similar size, had nearly 18 lakh students in government schools. Even slum dwellers here pay ₹2,000 per month to private schools. Where is the government’s responsibility?” she asked.
Public Transport Challenges
Public transport, particularly BEST buses, is a major focus area for AAP. Menon said BEST has been “systematically weakened”.
Plans to Improve BEST Services
“BEST is down to about 1,700 buses. In Delhi, we had 10,000 buses. BEST carries 30 lakh commuters daily—more than metro and even local trains in some stretches. It is the lifeline of Mumbai, yet depots are being sold for real estate,” she said.
AAP proposes free bus travel for women, expansion of the BEST fleet and ensuring depots are not commercialised at the cost of public transport.
Housing for the Poor
Menon said the government should build houses for the poor under Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) schemes.
“Our stand is clear—minimum 500 sq ft housing, built by the government, not builders. Builders do not give high quality houses. Housing is too important to be left to real estate interests,” she said, also criticising the move to declare gaothans and koliwadas as slums.
AAP’s Maharashtra Journey
Recalling AAP’s political journey in Maharashtra, Menon said the party contested only the 2014 Lok Sabha elections in the state, securing over 5.1% vote share in Mumbai. “It was a mistake to think so big so early. We later decided to focus on Delhi and Punjab,” she said.
Civic Issues Highlighted
However, she maintained that AAP has consistently raised issues in Mumbai, including the Aarey movement, anti-corruption campaigns, and local civic struggles such as the Dharavi Bachao Andolan.
“Our volunteers have worked in Govandi, Mankhurd, Dindoshi, Colaba and Dharavi. These are the areas we are contesting from,” she said.
Corruption Concerns Post-2014
Menon said corruption has worsened post-2014 and institutions have weakened. “Pre-2014 Mumbai Police was superb. Today, even IPS officers don’t pick up phones. Courts are in bad shape,” she alleged.
Criticism of Opposition Unity
On opposition unity, Menon criticised the Congress for failing to respect regional parties. “India is not a two-party system and never will be. Congress should act as an anchor, not fight regional parties. Until that happens, we won’t have a strong opposition,” she said, adding that AAP supported the Maha Vikas Aghadi in Maharashtra despite not contesting recent elections.
Clarifying Kejriwal Allegations
Responding to allegations around Arvind Kejriwal’s residence, Menon said it is a PWD house rebuilt after the roof collapsed. “There is no gold toilet, no bar, no swimming pool. If there was corruption, do you think the BJP would spare us?” she asked, claiming AAP has been acquitted in most cases filed against it.
Delhi Liquor Policy Explained
On the Delhi liquor policy case, she said courts granted bail as there was no substantive evidence. “The policy was meant to curb spurious liquor, distribute outlets evenly and ensure predictable revenue. It benefited consumers and the city,” she said.
Revival of College Elections
Menon also called for the revival of college elections in Maharashtra, calling their ban a “danger to democracy”. “Student politics creates citizens, not just job-seekers. It gives youth the courage to stand up and fight,” she said.
Building Politics from Ground Up
Concluding, Menon said AAP plans to rebuild its politics from the ground up through local elections. “We created a revolution in Delhi and proved ourselves in Punjab. Now we start again from the local level. No one should give up hope,” she said.
To get details on exclusive and budget-friendly property deals in Mumbai & surrounding regions, do visit: https://budgetproperties.in/
