Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is open to forming an alliance against the Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) if a hung Assembly verdict emerges from the elections in Uttar Pradesh, party convenor Arvind Kejriwal said on Monday.
“All surveys are indicating towards a hung assembly in the state. In such a situation, we will form an alliance to keep the BJP out of the government, if needed. We will fulfill the promises of free 24-hour electricity, better schools and hospitals even by supporting other parties against BJP in case of a hung assembly. Hence, it is important that people should vote for AAP candidates to strengthen our party’s prospects,” Kejriwal said while addressing a public meeting here at Rifa-e-Aam Club.
The Delhi chief minister began his four-day tour of UP from Monday to drum up support for party candidates, AAP office-bearers said. He will also be visiting Barabanki, Prayagraj and Gorakhpur for various election-related programmes, said party spokesperson Vaibhav Maheshwari.
Speaking at the event in Lucknow on Monday, Kejriwal hit out at his political opponents in Congress and BJP for their accusations of him supporting separatist ideology in Punjab.
{{/usCountry}}Speaking at the event in Lucknow on Monday, Kejriwal hit out at his political opponents in Congress and BJP for their accusations of him supporting separatist ideology in Punjab.
{{/usCountry}}Despite ruling the country for all these years, these parties do not have a single concrete project to talk about and that is why, they are calling Kejriwal a terrorist, he said at the meeting. “Tell me, if any terrorist has built schools/hospitals in the world? Does any terrorist arrange pilgrimages for elders?” he asked.
“The BJP conducted raids at my house and office with help of all agencies but they did not get anything. When I asked what was found at my house, I was told nothing. When I asked why the raids were conducted then I was told that some poet lives in Ghaziabad who said I am a terrorist. I came in his dream and told him seven years ago that I would divide India into two parts and become the prime minister of one,” he said.
“So I request PM Modi to do away with agencies like RAW, CBI, ED and keep that poet. He will tell who is a terrorist and who is not,” said the Delhi CM.
“I am a disciple of Bhagat Singh. A century ago, the British had called him a terrorist. And now, history is repeating itself as all these corrupt politicians are calling Bhagat Singh’s disciple a terrorist,” he added.
“Both the BJP and the Congress have been wiped out from Delhi. If given a chance, all other parties will be wiped out from here too,” he added.
He further mounted an attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “Yesterday, the PM said those who ride bicycles are terrorists. This is an insult to bicycle riders. When you vote, tell them it’s the BJP (people) who are terrorists, not the ones who ride bicycles.”
“First, the farmers of the country were called terrorists and now all the poor people using cycles are being called terrorists,” he added.
The Samajwadi Party welcomed Kejriwal’s stance. “He (Arvind Kejriwal) on an earlier occasion had said that he would like to see Akhilesh Yadav as the next UP chief minister. His today’s statement seems in continuation of that and we welcome it. Though the SP is going to form the government with full majority,” said SP spokesperson Abdul Hafiz Gandhi.
“The opposition is busy dreaming in UP anyway and Kejriwal ji has joined the dreamers’ club now. The BJP will form a government with 300 plus seats and after March 10, when the people’s verdict is out, Kejriwal ji will not have to bother about an alliance. He would perhaps then be able to devote time on shocking disclosures made on him by his former colleagues. He should focus on that more. UP is fine, without him,” BJP spokesman Harish Srivastava said.
Three of the seven phases of UP assembly elections are finished and the voting for the remaining phases will continue on February 23, February 27, March 3 and March 7. The counting of votes will take place on March 10.
With inputs from agencies