In a surprising move, Delhi Chief Minister Atishi extended a unique proposal to Leader of Opposition (LOP) Vijender Gupta regarding the appointment of bus marshals in the city. Addressing the Delhi Assembly, CM Atishi suggested that if Gupta could convince the Lieutenant Governor (LG) to approve the proposal for deploying additional bus marshals in Delhi, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) would not field any candidate against him in the upcoming elections.
Atishi emphasised that the matter of appointing bus marshals was more important than electoral politics. She assured Gupta that if the proposal to enhance security in Delhi's buses was passed, AAP would go a step further by offering their full support to Gupta in his future electoral campaign. "We will not contest against you in the elections. In fact, I will personally campaign for you," Atishi said.
The chief minister further remarked that securing the city's buses was a small but significant step in improving public safety, and he was willing to support any initiative that would help protect commuters. "It’s not about a seat in the assembly; it’s about ensuring the safety of Delhi's citizens," Atishi added.
This proposal comes amid rising concerns over safety on public transportation in the national capital, with increasing incidents of crime and harassment in buses. The idea of appointing marshals to ensure the safety of women and other passengers has been a subject of debate for some time, and Atishi's statement could signal a new approach to tackling the issue with political cooperation.
Whether Gupta will accept the offer and work with the Delhi government to push the proposal.
