Former Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday said he will campaign for Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Delhi Assembly elections due in February 2025, if the Prime Minister makes electricity free in all 22 States in which the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is in power. Kejriwal dared the BJP to hold the Delhi Assembly elections along with those in Jharkhand and Maharashtra in November and said the AAP is ready for it. The AAP supremo claimed that the double engine government of the BJP has failed across the country and exit polls show that in Haryana and Jammu-Kashmir BJP’s double engine governments are going out of power.
“I want to tell Modi ji, next September you will turn 75 and retire. You have one more year left. I challenge Modiji, in the next one year, in your 22 States, fix the schools or make electricity free. I want to tell Modiji, just do one thing, in February Delhi elections are due. In all 22 States make electricity free before February, then I will campaign for Modi ji during Delhi elections,” Kejriwal said while addressing people at ‘Janta Ki Adalat’ programme of the AAP at Chhatrasal stadium.
During his speech, Kejriwal held a packet containing six 'revris' (sweets) and said that each "revri" symbolised the six free services provided by his government -- free electricity, water, bus rides for women, pilgrimage for the elderly, healthcare, and education. He announced that the same packets would be distributed to the public and urged them to treat it as "prasad". "When you return home, perform 'puja' with this and share it with others," he told the gathering.
"If by mistake you vote for the BJP, all your six benefits will vanish," the former chief minister warned and alleged that if the BJP comes to power, services such as the DTC, government schools, and hospitals would be handed over to private entities.
Kejriwal accused the BJP's "double engine" governments of failing in states and predicted the party's ouster from Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir. "Double engine governments mean inflation, corruption, and unemployment," he said, adding, "the exit polls show that the BJP's double engine governments will soon collapse in Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir." Kejriwal claimed, "No one in Haryana is letting them enter their villages. People are resisting them."
He also described the BJP's handling of the Manipur situation as disastrous, accusing them of allowing the state to burn for seven years under their rule.
The AAP supremo labelled the BJP's "double engine" model as "double loot and double corruption" and also accused it of being anti-poor while citing the removal of bus marshals and data entry operators, as well as the halting of home guards' salaries in Delhi.
The AAP chief said that Delhi’s Assembly election is due in February 2025 and the BJP will say that ‘make double-engine government’ and people should tell them that they don’t want double-engine government as double-engine government means “double loot”.
“During the 1990s we used to hear that the underworld ruled Mumbai. That is the state of Delhi now. Delhi Police is under the BJP-governed Central government and they don’t take care of the law and order situation in Delhi. They are just focussed on stopping Delhi government’s works... Today, I promise to you all that I will get full statehood for Delhi and free Delhi of L-G’s rule,” he said.
"Fear God; shame on you. He will punish you," Kejriwal said, accusing the BJP of affecting the livelihoods of many in the national capital.
"There is no democracy in Delhi; it's under LG's rule," Kejriwal alleged and vowed to free the city from "LG Raj" and get full statehood. Alleging that his insulin stopped in jail, he said, "My kidney could have failed, and I could have died."
The AAP supremo accused the BJP of deliberately targeting AAP workers and leaders while ignoring critical issues like law and order in Delhi.
Kejriwal also took a jab at Modi's alleged "close ties" with big corporates and said, "Modi ji has a friend who gets all the contracts from the Centre."
"I have only worked for the people; I did not do it for myself or my family. I never gave a ticket to my son; I gave it to your children," Kejriwal said, claiming the free public services provided under his government will be stopped by the BJP if they are elected to power in the city."I pledge to liberate Delhi from the rule of the rich," he said.
