Conspiracy to arrest Kejriwal, says AAP; BJP hits back

Senior AAP ministers and functionaries held rallies and meetings in Delhi to support Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal under the "Main Bhi Kejriwal" campaign. They alleged that the BJP was conspiring to implicate Kejriwal in a case to weaken the AAP. The BJP countered by accusing the ministers of defending alleged corruption. AAP ministers reiterated that Kejriwal should not resign if arrested and should continue running the government from jail. The AAP is holding meetings in each of the 250 municipal wards of Delhi as part of the campaign.

Senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) functionaries and cabinet ministers on Sunday held a series of rallies and corner meetings across Delhi in support of chief minister Arvind Kejriwal under the second phase of the “Main Bhi Kejriwal” (I am also Kejriwal) campaign.

Atishi addresses a meeting at Kalkaji on Sunday. (HT Photo)

The ministers on Sunday reiterated that the AAP’s mandate is Kejriwal’s mandate, adding that he should not resign if arrested and should continue running the government from jail. The leaders alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was conspiring to implicate Kejriwal in a case in connection with the alleged irregularities in the Delhi excise policy 2021-22 to weaken the AAP.

However, the BJP hit back at the party and said Delhi ministers did to care about the administrative work and had become spokespeople for defending the AAP government’s alleged corruption.

Addressing a meeting in Govindpuri, Kalkaji, Delhi minister Atishi said the AAP leaders were being sent to jail one after the other and a conspiracy was being hatched to arrest Kejriwal.

“The noise BJP is making about alleged scams is false as no corruption evidence has been found to date. Kejriwal has worked honestly for the past eight years, resulting in numerous facilities for Delhi residents, including excellent education, world-class healthcare, free electricity and water, affordable bus travel, and free pilgrimage trips for senior citizens,” said Atishi.

Under the second phase of the campaign, AAP is holding meetings in each of the 250 municipal wards of the Capital. In November, AAP announced that it would launch a signature campaign seeking public feedback on whether CM should continue to run the government from jail. The first phase of the campaign was carried out in December.

In another gathering at Savitri Nagar in Greater Kailash, minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said every vote received by AAP was a vote for the chief minister and every MLA has won in his name. “The mandate of the people is the mandate of Kejriwal. People are reiterating that the leadership of Delhi should stay in the hands of Kejriwal. People understand the dishonesty and deceit by which opposition leaders are being arrested, it is purely political,” he said.

Transport minister Kailash Gahlot held a similar meeting in Najafgarh. “Everyone believes that BJP is adopting a dictatorial approach. The people of Delhi are with chief minister Arvind Kejriwal,” said Gehlot.

Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva said that ministers like Bhardwaj and Atishi were doing no administrative work and were defending scams of government. “Arvind Kejriwal is running away from the liquor scam inquiry, he is confirming the suspicion of being involved in corruption on himself. It would have been better if instead of going to Gujarat for political tourism he had appeared before ED to prove his innocence,” said Sachdeva.

Sachdeva alleged that AAP leaders could not even attract their own party workers to the meetings. “At most places, the crowd was thin. It would not be an exaggeration to say that the campaign is a complete flop show,” said Sachdeva.