BJP rattled ahead of polls, has no positive agenda for Delhi: Kejriwal

New Delhi: Hitting back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for singling out AAP for an attack, the party’s convener Arvind Kejriwal said BJP was now resorting to making personal remarks as it has been totally “rattled” ahead of the upcoming Assembly polls in Delhi. Taking strong exception to Modi’s “anarchist” remarks on AAP on Saturday at a BJP rally here, Kejriwal said the way he and his party was ridiculed at the Ramlila Grounds was “not right”, but he would refrain from responding to personal remarks made by the saffron outfit.
The former Delhi chief minister said that the saffron party in Delhi is “without a face” and was like a “ship without a captain”. He charged that BJP has no positive agenda for the national capital. “One thing which became clear looking at BJP leaders at the rally today is that the party is nervous. It also became clear that BJP has no positive agenda for Delhi; they will resort to name-calling in the campaign,” Kejriwal said. Highlighting the achievements during his tenure, Kejriwal said that although all BJP leaders had attacked him at the rally, none had spoken against the work he had done during the 49 days his party was in power.
The saffron party itself has given a certificate about his “good work”, he said. “They say we don’t know governance. Then who slashed electricity tariff and gave free water to people? Who ordered an audit of electricity companies? Do people involved in 2G and coal scams know governance?
“We know governance and we also know how to stage a dharna,” Kejriwal said at a hurriedly called press conference at the make-shift AAP offices on 173, North Avenue. Taking a jibe at Modi over his assurances of 24-hour free electricity, Kejriwal said BJP is not able to fulfil the promises made during the last Assembly and Lok Sabha elections but was still making new promises. “It’s only AAP that has a formula for bringing down the electricity tariff and corruption. Only we can do it. With every election, they come up with a new promise. Modi says it took seven months to eradicate corruption from the top. But when will you (Modi) reach the bottom?
“First, you should know how to do it. If you don’t, then tell us. We did it in 49 days. But for that you need a good intention to fight corruption,” Kejriwal said. BJP today kicked off its campaign for Delhi polls by wooing voters with a host of promises. The saffron outfit also singled out ‘anarchist’ AAP leader Kejriwal for an attack and asked voters to punish him for “wasting” one year.
Responding to the BJP’s attack, Kejriwal said, “We did not waste one year, the BJP did, by not calling for elections. They are delaying the election even now.” Questioning Modi over the work done by the Centre, the AAP convener added, “The only work he (Modi) did was to open (Jhan Dhan) bank accounts? But when will the (black) money come into those accounts.” Rubbishing Modi’s claim that there was no proposal to reduce the age of government employees to 58, Kejriwal alleged that the Centre was planning such a move, but was waiting for the Delhi Assembly polls.
He added that the BJP government in Haryana has already done this. “The Centre is waiting for Delhi elections to get over as it (the city) has a large number of central government employees. They should understand that after becoming the chief minister, Kejriwal will fight for them. “Not only for them but also for regularising unauthorised colonies, slashing the electricity tariff, and for women’s security,” he added. Slamming BJP for not fulfilling the promises made ahead of the last Assembly and Lok Sabha polls, Kejriwal said it was up to the people to decide whom to choose in Delhi. “It’s a U-turn Sarkar. They (BJP) said they will bring down electricity tariff by 30 per cent, but they increased it by 15 per cent. Prime Minister says he has a bulb, which can help save Rs 300 per year, which comes to Rs 25 every month. We reduced the electricity tariff by half. Now it is up to the people to decide whom to choose. “The Prime Minister says that by 2022, everyone will have a pucca house. But whenever the BJP government comes, they demolish the jhuggis… in Rangpuri, Wazirpur, Okhla they did the same thing. So, will these people wait for seven more years to have a pucca house.” (PTI)