Opposition leaders need to meet, discuss solutions to current problems: Kejriwal

Kejriwal also said that the people of the state are standing with Uddhav and his party is going to sweep all the coming elections even though his party and symbol were “stolen.”

Mumbai: Aam Aadmi Party chief and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday met former chief minister of Maharashtra and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and said that the opposition leaders need to meet and discuss as the solutions to current problems in the country.

(From left) Punjab CM Bhagwant Singh Mann, Delhi CM Arvind KejriVIJAY BATEwal, Shiv Sena (UBT) Chief Uddhav Thackeray interact with the media during a press conference at Matoshree in Mumbai on Friday. (VIJAY BATE / HT PHOTO)

After meeting Uddhav at the latter’s Mumbai residence, Kejriwal also said that the people of the state are standing with Uddhav and his party is going to sweep all the coming elections even though his party and symbol were “stolen.”

Kejriwal was accompanied by Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann, Rajya Sabha MPs Sanjay Singh and Gaurav Chaddha.

Kejriwal said that they discussed unemployment, rising inflation that are being faced by the common people and not elections.

“The country will develop when we learn from each other and not fight. All the solutions are there within the country but we don’t meet and discuss. From now on, we will be meeting regularly,” Kejriwal said, adding, “We will discuss elections when they are going to be announced.”

The one-hour long meeting took place at Matoshree bungalow in Bandra in the backdrop of Thackeray’s remarks where he said that there is fear in the country that whatever BJP has done with Shiv Sena today they can do to others to wipe out opposition and regional parties.

On February 21, Thackeray had said that he was getting calls from leaders of other political parties — West Bengal Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and NCP chief Sharad Pawar to express solidarity after the election commission recognised Eknath Shinde led party as the real Shiv Sena.

Kejriwal also commented on the election commission verdict and said, “Uddhav ji’s party and symbol were stolen. They took everything but I want to say one thing that his father (Bal Thackeray) was a tiger and he is his son. The entire Maharashtra is with him. I am hopeful that he will get justice from the supreme court. I also believe he is going to sweep all the coming elections.”

Delhi chief minister also chose to praise Uddhav for efficiently handling Covid-19 as chief minister during the pandemic. He also accepted they learned many things during the pandemic and also adopted several practices in Delhi.

He then trained guns at the BJP-led central government and said they are cowards who are misusing central investigation agencies against them. “The cowards use central agencies such as the ED and CBI. They are afraid of us and thus sending them to our homes. I heard they are preparing to arrest Manish Sisodia (Delhi deputy chief minister), let them do it because people are watching. At last, truth will win, a lie will always be a lie.”

He also added that the central government is keeping the entire country on mortgage to benefit a few corporates.

‘BJP cannot do anything except hooliganism’

In response to a brawl between councillors of the BJP and Aam Aadmi Party in the Delhi civic body, Kejrwal said that they cannot do anything except hooliganism. “It has been two and half months since we have won the MCD polls but they (BJP) are not allowing us to make our mayor. Why are they resorting this, when people gave us the majority? It is sad that we have to approach the supreme court for conducting mayoral polls.”

He said that the people of Delhi had elected their candidates on 134 seats compared to 104 seats of BJP. It is their right to appoint mayor and deputy mayor but BJP is trying to stop them from doing so.

Law and order under control in Punjab, says Mann

Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann reacted to the violence in Punjab on Friday. He said that the brotherhood in Punjab is unhurt. “Law and order is under control in Punjab. The police are capable enough to handle the situation. The social bonding and brotherhood is still unhurt even after firing and bombings for the last many years. We all like to live together with peace. Many industries are coming to invest in the state. We have guaranteed to make Punjab a top state in the country.”