AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday announced a monthly dole of ₹2,100 to poor women if his party is re-elected in the Assembly elections next year.

Flanked by chief minister Atishi, he told a crowd of women supporters at the AAP headquarters: "They said the exact same thing in 2013 when I promised free electricity during the elections. Back then, the BJP claimed, ‘Kejriwal is lying. Where will the money come from?' I want to tell the BJP, I am a magician. I know where to get money from, where to save it and where to spend it.”

The announcement comes soon after the incumbent governments in Jharkhand and Maharashtra won the recent state elections riding on similar schemes for women. Funds for Delhi’s scheme were passed in this year’s budget when Kejriwal was the chief minister. A similar scheme promised by his party in Punjab in 2021 has not been implemented even after two years in power.

Kejriwal said: “I had promised that in every woman’s account, we will put ₹1,000 every month. I am proud to announce that at 10am today (Thursday) the Delhi cabinet chaired by Atishi has approved it…. The Delhi government has officially started this scheme today. However, since elections will be announced in 10-15 days, transferring the money before elections is not possible.

"During this process, many mothers and sisters told me, ‘The cost of living is so high'. I am announcing today that registrations will begin tomorrow, for ₹2,100…. In the next two-three days, AAP volunteers will visit every street and every home. Get yourself registered. They will provide you with a registration card — keep it safe. After the elections, ₹2,100 will be provided.”