Manish Sisodia Challenges JP Nadda, Goel to Compare Govt Schools Run by BJP-ruled States and AAP

New Delhi: Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Sunday challenged senior BJP leaders J P Nadda and Vijay Goel to compare the top 10 government schools in BJP-ruled states with the ones under the AAP government and then debate.

The challenge by Sisodia comes in response to Bharatiya Janata Party working president J P Nadda's claims, on Saturday, that the ruling AAP in Delhi had become "a laughing stock", as he exuded confidence that his party will form the next government in Delhi as the city needs a leadership with "serious vision".

In retort, Sisodia said the BJP's working president was ridiculing the people of Delhi, by calling the AAP-led Delhi government a laughing stock.

"I challenge @JPNadda & @VijayGoelBJP to choose top 10 govt schools of BJP education model from any BJP state. I'll choose top 10 govt schools of Kejriwal education model. I'll visit your schools, you can visit ours. Let's then debate- what's laughing stock and what makes one cry (sic)," Sisodia tweeted.

Addressing BJP Delhi leaders on Saturday on the second day of the state working committee's meeting, Nadda asked them to work together for the Delhi assembly elections due early next year. Referring to the 2015 Assembly election results, where the Aam Aadmi Party had won 67 of the 70 seats, Nadda claimed the people of Delhi were now realising what the leaders had actually done.

"They (AAP) have become the laughing stock. Delhi, being the national capital, needs a leadership which has a serious vision for the city," he said.

Nadda claimed the people were not happy with the the Arvind Kejriwal-led government. "I am fully confident that we will succeed in Delhi," the BJP working president said.

Reacting sharply to Nadda's words, the Delhi deputy minister said, "By calling the choice made by the people of Delhi a subject of ridicule. I want to remind him about what Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in his maiden speech in the new Lok Sabha. He said that when some people make fun of the elected government, they are making fun of the people of the country. Perhaps Nadda ji's views differ from the prime minister's."

Stating that the BJP has governments in a number of states and in a few for decades, Sisodia sought to compare the schools being run by the BJP and the AAP governments.

"Delhi schools posted the best result in Delhi's history this year with 94 per cent pass rate. What is the best result in your states? Delhi has the highest portion of the budget (for education), at 26 per cent, do any of your states have such a high allocation for education? Show us even one state run by the BJP where the school infrastructure has been developed, which can be compared with the Kejriwal model," he said.

Sisodia claimed children from Gurgaon in Haryana and Noida, Loni and Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh were coming to Delhi to study in schools run by the AAP government.

The BJP has formed the state governments in both Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. The AAP leader alleged the BJP has failed to improve the school education system in its states.

"Is it a joke that Delhi's Aam Aadmi Party government has successfully regulated private school fees, and the CM of a neighbouring state had recently said private school fees can't be controlled? Is it a joke that Delhi has 25 per cent budget for education? Or that Delhi school teachers go abroad for training?" he added.

Sisodia said, "At least Kejriwal's education model is making you laugh but look at the BJP's government schools it will make you cry!"