Arvind Kejriwal launches campaign for upcoming assembly election in Rajasthan

Jaipur: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday launched his party’s campaign for the upcoming assembly elections in Rajasthan, promising free electricity and health clinics if voted to power and accusing political opponents of indulging in corruption.

Rajasthan will go to assembly elections later this year.

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Delhi chief minister Kejriwal, who addressed a rally in Rajasthan’s Ganganagar district along with his party colleague and Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann, attacked both the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the backwardness and illiteracy in the country.

“I have come here with a dream of making a new Rajasthan. The Congress ruled the state for 50 years and the BJP for 18 years, what have they done…only corruption,” Kejriwal said. “We (AAP) don’t know politics and corruption, but only how to work. Our work speaks for itself, be it in Delhi or in Punjab.”

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Hitting at Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot, the AAP chief alleged that when in Opposition, Gehlot and the Congress cornered former CM and BJP leader Vasundhara Raje over issues of “corruption”, but they did nothing after coming to power in the state in 2018.

“Their leader Sachin Pilot got tired raising the issue, demanding action, but Gehlot did nothing,” Kejriwal told the gathering. “If you want politics of friendship then vote for them (Congress-BJP), but if you want politics of patriotism then vote for AAP.”

The AAP leader also cornered the state government over various instances of examination paper leak. “Here, 26 exam papers leaked in the last 10 years. It is not a leak… the papers and future of children are sold,” he alleged. “This has never happened in Delhi during the AAP government.”

Promising 300-unit free electricity if AAP is voted to power in Rajasthan, Kejriwal claimed that Gehlot though copied his party’s model failed to deliver. “Rajasthan CM makes announcements looking to polls and after the polls, he will withdraw citing budget issues,” he alleged.

Targeting the BJP and specifically Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Kejriwal claimed the country was being run by “illiterate” people.

“I am educated and have a plan. PM Narendra Modi says India will become number 1 by 2047… but this country is run illiterates. First, they brought ₹2,000 currency notes to remove corruption, and now they are being removed for the same reason. Demonetisation pushed the country back by 20 years,” he claimed.

In an appeal to the voters, the AAP chief said, “If you want dirty politics, then vote for them. But if you want your children to have good education and jobs, then vote for Kejriwal.”

Punjab CM Bhagwant Maan said the problems faced by farmers and traders in Rajasthan are similar to those people in his state used to face. “But not anymore in Punjab as we brought a law against corruption and placed big ministers behind bars,” Mann said, adding that 80% households in Punjab get free electricity and the condition of schools has improved.

Both the Congress and the BJP hit back at Kejriwal.

“No other state can match Rajasthan’s performance — be it in health or education. Rajasthan is the first state to bring Right TO Health. The action taken against corruption is unmatchable in the state,” Congress spokesperson Swarnim Chaturvedi said.

He added that Kejriwal was just making political statement and that the AAP’s performance in Punjab was for everyone to see.

“Kejriwal is the most unsuccessful chief minister. The AAP regime is full of corruption in Delhi and Punjab,” BJP legislator and former minister Vasudev Devnani said. “They are petrified of the PM.”

Devnani said the Delhi CM was making baseless statement against Modi as his “mindset is negative”.