Former Delhi CM Sheila Dikshit lauds Rahul Gandhi's minimum income scheme, says decision will benefit poor

Former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Tuesday hailed the Congress party president Rahul Gandhi's minimum income guarantee scheme which proposes to provide Rs 72,000 per annum to 20 per cent of India's poorest. Delhi Congress chief reportedly said "it is one of the biggest decisions ever taken to benefit the poor".

Rahul Gandhi on Monday announced that nearly 5 crore poor people in the country will get financial assistance of Rs 72,000 per annum if the party was voted to power in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

"As far as I remember, this is one of the biggest decisions ever taken to benefit the poor anywhere in the world. People are praising this announcement (minimum income). We are receiving countless phone calls saying that it is a big step towards the welfare of poor people in the country," The Indian Express quoted Dikshit as saying.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Monday termed Rahul Gandhi's promise of minimum income support to the 20 per cent of the poorest in the country the "biggest bluff". He said no political party has betrayed India for more than seven decades other than the Congress Party.

Speaking about the party's promised scheme at a media briefing in Delhi, Dikshit displayed pamphlets with slogan 'Aay pe charcha'. The Congress party is set to launch a country-wide campaign called 'Aay pe charcha' this elections season which will focus on providing employment opportunities in the country.

When asked about possibility of an alliance with the Aam Admi Party, the senior Congress leader said that decision will be taken by party president. "When a decision will be taken then we will inform the media. Ultimately the decision is to be taken by Rahul Gandhi as he is the party president, all will abide by what he decides," Dikshit was quoted as saying by ANI.

The Congress leadership seems divided over forging an alliance with the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for the Lok Sabha elections in Delhi. While one faction wants an alliance to defeat the BJP in Delhi, the other is strongly against it.

Edited by Chitranjan Kumar