Man apologizes to Kejriwal for slapping him

An auto-rickshaw driver Wednesday apologised to AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal for slapping him a day earlier, saying he had committed "a big mistake". "I've committed a big mistake. I should have never done what I did. I consider him (Kejriwal) as a god," the attacker, identified only as lali, told journalists after the AAP leader called on him.

The 38-year-old lali, an auto-rickshaw driver, gave a stinging slap to the former Delhi chief minister Tuesday when the latter was campaigning in the west Delhi area of Sultanpuri.

 The man, who was roughed up by AAP supporters after the attack, had then dubbed Kejriwal as a "liar". The attack left Kejriwal with a swollen left eye. But he said later that he had "forgiven" lali.

As journalists watched on, lali Wednesday sought forgiveness from Kejriwal and his colleague Manish Sisodia. He also bent down to touch the feet of both Kejriwal and Sisodia even as they tried to stop him.  lali said he had been wanting to meet Kejriwal for a long time and even went to his "janata darbar" when the Aam Aadmi Party ruled Delhi for a short period of 49 days.

"I was unhappy and wanted to meet him (Kejriwal) but couldn't," he said.  Kejriwal and Sisodia were accompanied by AAP's lok Sabha candidate in the area, Rakhi Birla.

 After Tuesday's attack, Kejriwal said he faced a threat to his life. "These attacks are scripted. When they (attackers) are arrested, they repeat the (same) script," Kejriwal told the media.

"Why are all the attacks taking place only on usIJ" Kejriwal asked. "There will be more attacks, and we can also get killed." The AAP chief is also expected to meet Wednesday 19-year-old Abdul Wahid, a resident of Jamia Nagar area who twice punched him at a rally April 4.