The BJP AAP rivalries came to fore as the Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated a 13-km section of the Delhi-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) corridor from Sahibabad in Uttar Pradesh to New Ashok Nagar and the Janakpuri West-Krishna Park Extension stretch, the first section of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation’s Phase-IV network to open for public. Even before the Rapid Rail Transport System could open for public, the race to grab credit started full steam. Prime Minister Modi and former chief minister of Delhi Arvind Kejriwal took cudgels at each other to win the brownie points. In a blistering attack on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government again during a massive rally in Rohini, PM Modi made a strong appeal to people to bring the BJP to power in Delhi, as he attacked the Arvind Kejriwal-led party with “AAP-da” and “Sheesh Mahal” jibes and assured Delhiites that no welfare scheme would be discontinued if the saffron party forms the government. AAP retorted saying that AAP believed in the service of Delhi and that it had the ‘aashriwaad’ of Delhiites.
Addressing a rally, the prime minister called AAP’s Delhi government as “AAP-da government” (disaster government) that has stalled Delhi’s progress. PM Modi said the AAP-da government does not have the vision to develop the national capital and the responsibility given to AAP-da means punishment for the people of Delhi. The prime minister appealed to voters to end the AAP’s misrule and give the BJP a chance to lead Delhi towards a brighter future. Modi said every season in the city has turned into a period of “emergency,” with drinking water shortages in the summer, water logging during the monsoon and pollution during the winter.
Highlighting the achievements of the BJP-led central government over the past decade, PM Modi pointed to landmark initiatives that have transformed India’s infrastructure, connectivity, and global standing. He cited projects like the expansion of the Delhi Metro, the Namo Bharat Train, Bharat Mandapam, Yashobhoomi, and the National War Memorial as examples of BJP’s commitment to development. “In the last 10 years, the BJP government at the Centre has doubled Delhi’s metro network, built world-class infrastructure, and prioritized public welfare. These are the actions of a government focused on progress, not excuses,” PM Modi said. The prime minister accused Delhi’s AAP government of wasting a decade fighting with the Centre and urged its people to give the BJP an opportunity to turn the national capital into a city of the future.
PM Modi also accused the AAP government of spreading fear that a BJP government in Delhi would discontinue several welfare schemes launched by the AAP. Hours after Modi’s accusation, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal held a press conference and said the BJP is seeking votes by abusing him.
Reacting to PM Modi’s attack, Kejriwal said that these projects wouldn’t have been inaugurated had his party not cooperated with the Centre over alleged “atrocities” against the party’s leaders.
He said, “Projects launched by PM joint venture between Delhi govt, Centre; reflects AAP’s commitment to city’s development.” Those who say that the AAP keeps fighting; today’s inauguration is an example that shows that AAP only works for the people of Delhi. Jo log ye aarop lagate hain ki AAP ladti bahot hai, ye joint udghatan un logon ko jawab hai (Those who accuse AAP of always being confrontational, this joint inauguration is a response to them),” Kejriwal said in a press conference.
Referring to the challenges faced by his party, he claimed AAP leaders were imprisoned and tortured but maintained their focus on governance. They sent our top leadership to jail - but the atrocities that happened against us, we didn’t make that an issue - otherwise these projects would not have been inaugurated.Agar apne par huye atyachaar ko hum dil pe le lete toh aaj ye dilli metro ki line nahi banti, iska udhghatan nahi hua hota (If we had taken the injustices done to us to heart, this Delhi Metro line would not have been built, and its inauguration would not have happened today)” he said.
In a veiled attack on Modi, Kejriwal said “PM Modi in 2020 had promised repeal of Section 81 and Section 33 of Delhi Land Reform Act along with land ownership rights & alternative plots for farmers. “Only Centre can repeal Section 81 and Section 33; Delhi Assembly has passed resolutions twice and sent them to Centre demanding it. The prime minister must answer why Delhi Master Plan 2041 hasn’t been notified & why Delhi Land Pooling Policy hasn’t been notified?,” Kejriwal said.
PM Modi also assured that no public welfare scheme would be discontinued if the BJP assumed power but the party’s government would weed out the corruption in their implementation. He asserted the BJP would usher in change.”Only when this ‘aapda (disaster)’ is gotten rid of in Delhi, the double-engine of development will come in,” Modi said.
“In the past 10 years, Delhi has witnessed a state government that is no less than an ‘aapda (disaster)’! Delhiites have realised this. Only one voice is reverberating in Delhi -- ‘Aapda nahi sahenge, badal kar rahenge (will not tolerate disaster, will bring change),” Modi said. The prime minister said when the people of Delhi were grappling with COVID-19, struggling to find oxygen and medicines, the entire focus of the “aapda people” was on building their “Sheesh Mahal”.
“They made a huge budget for the ‘Sheesh Mahal’. This is their truth... They do not care about the people of Delhi. That is why every Delhiite today is saying... ‘we will not tolerate aapda, we will change’,” he said.
The AAP has so far not reacted on the CAG report on Sheesh Mahal and the PM’s attack - with Kejriwal not speaking about the controversy when he addressed the press to respond to the Prime Minister’s speech.
The prime minister said the Centre had been developing highways in Delhi, expanding the Metro network, starting the Namo Bharat Regional Rapid Transit System, and running big hospitals.”However, the moment you step out of a Metro station, you can see potholed roads, overflowing sewers. Some areas are such that even auto and cab drivers refuse to ply due to long traffic jams,” he said.
Modi also accused the AAP government of spreading fear that a BJP government in Delhi would discontinue several welfare schemes implemented by it. The prime minister asserted a new BJP government would implement central schemes that, he claimed, had been stalled by the AAP government with renewed vigour.
“For Delhi, these people have made every season, every weather, ‘aapda kaal’. The energy of Delhiites is spent in dealing with ‘aapda’ throughout the year,” he said.
“Aapda” turned every season into an emergency, with water shortages, waterlogging and pollution, the prime minister alleged. “Therefore, only if AAP is removed from Delhi, the double-engine of development and good governance will come.”
“We are in the 21st century and 25 years have passed. Two or three generations have entered their youth. The next 25 years are very important for Delhi. The next 25 years will see India emerging as a developed nation before their eyes. We all will be stakeholders in this journey,” Modi said. The national capital should be a part of this glorious journey, he added.
“In Delhi, people blessed the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections and now, in the assembly polls, are set to bless the BJP. This is a golden opportunity to win the heart of Delhi and free it of disaster (‘aapda’),” he said.
