AAP launches signature campaign for full statehood to Delhi

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Marking the first day of their signature campaign in support of full statehood to Delhi, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Tuesday opened its first "Andolan Kendra" (campaign centre) in the national capital.

Under the campaign "Dilli Maange Apna Haq" (Delhi demands its right), the AAP will open 3,000 such centres and reach out to 10 lakh families seeking their signatures for the cause.

"Our party workers will go to every household in Delhi, along with a letter from (Chief Minister) Arvind Kejriwal, and seek their signature on the letter demanding full statehood to Delhi. We will then deliver these letters to Prime Minister Narendra Modi," Delhi Rural Development Minister Gopal Rai said.

Rai was in Model Town, along with AAP'S national secretary Pankaj Gupta, to inaugurate the party's first campaign centre and inform the people there about the benefits of full statehood to Delhi and how to take forward this campaign, which will go on till July 25.

"Our target for the next 15 days will be to get 15,000 letters signed," Rai said.

Asked whether the campaign has been launched with an eye on the elections next year, Rai denied that it has anything to do with the elections, saying: "We will continue our campaign until our demand for full statehood to Delhi is met."

He said if Delhi gets full statehood, it would be possible to resolve problems like unemployment, admission of Delhi youth in colleges and slum clusters-related issues.

"Youth with 95 per cent marks are roaming around from college to college but not getting admission. If Delhi becomes a full state, then we can build more colleges here which will guarantee admission to Delhiites.

"If Delhi is granted full statehood, we can guarantee a house to every resident and jobs to at least 80 per cent of them," he said.

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