Delhi Auto Rickshaw Sangh and others back BJP, citing trust in PM Modi and promises by Delhi BJP President Sachdeva.
New Delhi: Well-known to be the supporters of the the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), in a notable shift ahead of the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections, several unions around the national capital have decided to back the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) this time. According to auto drivers and traders they had consistently aligned with AAP in previous elections and this time want to see change.
The Delhi Auto Rickshaw Sangh (DARS) is one such union that has now pledged its support to the BJP. Rajendra Soni, General Secretary of the DARS, told The Sunday Guardian that they are extending their support to the BJP because of their trust in Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the promises made by Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva to improve their livelihoods.
As a result, 70,000 auto-rickshaw drivers have decided to back the BJP in the upcoming elections.
Soni further criticised AAP stating, “We have been deceived by AAP over the years. They have done nothing to improve our lives.” Reflecting on past governments, he mentioned that during Sheila Dikshit’s tenure as Chief Minister, the Congress government imposed hefty fines ranging from Rs 10,000 to Rs 40,000. Although these penalties were later revised, auto drivers were not consulted during the process.
He added that the situation worsened during AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal’s government over the last 11 years. “In all these years, Kejriwal has done absolutely nothing for auto drivers. He claims his government will provide Rs 5 lakh for road accident victims and promised medical coverage, but I question how he will implement this when he is currently out on bail. He doesn’t even have the authority to sign files. How can we trust someone who has failed us for a decade?” Soni also accused Kejriwal of halting central government initiatives like the Ayushman Bharat scheme, which provides Rs 5 lakh health coverage, and the PM Awas Yojana, which offers housing for the poor.
“These programs were already in place, but Kejriwal lied about implementing them,” he alleged. Soni further claimed that Kejriwal has avoided engaging with the Delhi Auto Rickshaw Sangh.
“He has never called us for discussions and lacks the courage to face our union. Instead, he meets with unregistered unions,” Soni said.
Earlier this week, the DARS held a gathering at the BJP office to formally extend their support to Delhi BJP Chief Virendra Sachdeva. Soni noted, “Sachdeva assured us that steps will be taken to support auto drivers, addressing issues like housing and improving their livelihoods.”
Similarly, Vinay Narang, President of the Automotive Parts Merchant Association (APMA), expressed his dissatisfaction with the current state of governance in Delhi to The Sunday Guardian.
He said, “We lack basic amenities such as cleanliness, toilets, drinking water, and parking facilities. Despite repeatedly raising these issues with councillors and MLAs, no one listened to us. For the past decade, we have faced the same problems, but the Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party has done nothing to address them. This is why we have decided to extend our support to the BJP.”
Narang further praised BJP MP Praveen Khandelwal for his efforts to resolve these issues, despite hurdles created by AAP MLAs.
“Khandelwal has been working for us, but the AAP MLAs have been obstructing his efforts. We want BJP MLAs in our assembly constituencies so that both the MP and MLAs can work together to address our problems. Over the past decade, AAP has failed to deliver, and we hope that if the BJP comes to power, they will work for us.”
Sanjay Bhargav, President of Chandni Chowk Sarv Vyapar Mandal (CCSVM), also highlighted the persistent issues in various constituencies of Delhi, including traffic congestion, encroachment, drinking water shortages, poor cleanliness, waterlogging, and challenges faced by traders’ associations.
Speaking about Chandni Chowk, he said, “Our constituency needs to be redeveloped, and we hope that whoever wins the election will resolve these long-standing issues. So far, no one has bothered to work for us.”
Bhargav added that while both the Congress and AAP have announced their candidates for the assembly elections, they are awaiting the BJP’s candidate before making a final decision on whom to support.
“In the Lok Sabha elections, we supported Praveen Khandelwal, and he won. He has been working for us, but assembly elections are different from parliamentary elections. While there is a high likelihood of us supporting the BJP, we will wait for their candidate to be announced before deciding.”
The BJP has assured all traders’ unions that, if elected to power, they will prioritise resolving their issues as quickly as possible.
Additionally, the party has made seven key promises specifically aimed at improving the lives of auto drivers in Delhi. These promises include: Free Education and Scholarships: Children of all licensed auto drivers will receive free school education, and scholarships will be offered to those pursuing higher education.
Life Insurance Scheme: A special life insurance scheme for auto drivers, under the Prime Minister’s initiatives, will be launched starting September 17, 2025, on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday.
Housing benefits: Auto drivers without private housing will be provided benefits under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana.
Halt-and-go stands: Dedicated stands for auto drivers will be established in all colonies and markets, in collaboration with traffic police.
Last-mile connectivity: Auto drivers will be integrated into the last-mile connectivity plan to improve and secure their livelihoods.
Electric auto subsidies: Drivers of electric auto-rickshaws will receive monthly electricity recharge subsidies for two years.
Anti-corruption committees: Committees, including two representatives from the auto drivers’ community, will be formed at all auto fitness centres in Delhi to combat corruption.
The BJP aims to address long-standing issues faced by the auto driver community through these initiatives.
Delhi Assembly elections is scheduled for mid-February to March 2025 (though the Election Commission of India has yet to announce the official dates).