The war of words escalated between the BJP and the AAP in the poll-bound Gujarat as Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday countered AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal saying “selling dreams” was difficult in his State.
Shah was obviously referring to a slew of promises made by Kejriwal ranging from free power, quality education, dole for unemployed youths, job creation and allowance for women, among others. On Tuesday, Kejriwal added to the list a promise of a “corruption-free” Government.
Making light of the promises by the AAP to attract voters in Gujarat, the Home Minister asserted that the “dream sellers” will not win in Gujarat and that the BJP will get two-thirds majority in the upcoming poll in the State.
Shah was virtually addressing a function held in Gandhinagar to mark one year of the Bhupendra Patel Government. Shah also said the ruling BJP will once again form a Government in Gujarat and hailed the leadership of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel.
“People who sell dreams will never get electoral success in Gujarat. I know the people of Gujarat. Those in the business of selling dreams can never get success in Gujarat because the people support only those who believe in doing work. That is why people remain by the BJP’s side, said the BJP leader.
Suggesting there is no challenger to the BJP (AAP or the Congress), Shah said, “The BJP is on its way to achieving a thumping Victory.”
“I want to tell Bhupendrabhai that the people of Gujarat are with the BJP. I can see very clearly that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and you, the BJP will once again form a Government with a two-thirds majority in the upcoming elections,” Shah said.
The AAP has entered the poll fray in Gujarat, the home State of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Shah, and is aiming to replace the Congress as the “main challenger” in the State poll which has now turned into a triangular contest.
While the AAP and the BJP are locked in a verbal duel in the National Capital over the alleged corruption in the AAP-run-Delhi Government, the same echoes in Gujarat which will go to Assembly polls in about a few months time.
The AAP’s national convener and Delhi Chief Minister campaigning in the State announced that if his party voted it will ensure its Chief Minister, Ministers as well as lawmakers from other parties and Government officers do not indulge in corruption and are jailed if caught doing so. AAP had earlier contested local body elections and made good inroads in Surat.
“Whosoever I met in Gujarat said there is corruption everywhere. One has to pay a bribe to get Government work done. There is corruption at the lower level and at the top also there are scams. If one speaks against it, he is threatened...There is corruption and hooliganism everywhere in Gujarat,” Kejriwal claimed while talking to reporters at a gathering in Ahmedabad.
The AAP Government will make sure every penny collected from the public as tax goes to the service of the people of Gujarat, he said.
“Today, I give a guarantee that when the AAP forms Government in Gujarat, it will provide a corruption-free and fear-free Government,” he said.
Kejriwal also promised to stop “illegal businesses” of present Ministers and Government officers in Gujarat, investigate “scams” of the present Government and recover money collected through corrupt means so that it can be spent on the public.
“We will also open cases of paper leaks of the last 10 years and their masterminds will be arrested and jailed,” the AAP leader said.
“Whenever I visit Gujarat, people talk of different scams. All the large scams during their tenure (of BJP Government) will be investigated and the money recovered will be used to provide good schools, electricity -- for the service of the public,” he said.
Kejriwal said if voted to power, his party Government will ensure the public is not required to pay bribes in Government offices.
The AAP Government will also make arrangements for doorstep delivery of various welfare services, like it has done in Delhi, he said.