BJP scared of AAP, announcing sops in Himachal: Kejriwal

Taking a jibe at Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur for announcing 125 units of free electricity, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday said his Himachal Pradesh counterpart was forced to make the offer as he was “scared” of the AAP.

All the problem Himachal faces today was due to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo said on Saturday as he sought one chance from the people of Himachal to set things right.

“God has given Himachal in abundance, but, the BJP and Congress also have left no stone unturned to loot this beautiful state,” said Kejriwal at a rally held at Chambi in Shahpur constituency near Dharamshala.

“If we don’t perform, you can surely throw us out,” he said, claiming that the BJP was so scared of AAP that it was contemplating early elections in Himachal and Gujarat.

It was AAP’s second major event in the poll-bound state after the official launch of its campaign from Mandi on April 6.

Buoyed by its victory in the Punjab assembly election, AAP looks to expand its support base in Himachal and presents itself as the third alternative which will end the duopoly of the BJP and Congress in the state.

Kejriwal’s rally comes after a day after BJP national president JP Nadda’s roadshow and rally at Nagrota Bagwan.

Kangra, the nerve centre of politics in the hill state, has become a battleground for the ruling BJP and AAP. The district’s electoral significance lies in the fact that it sends 15 legislators or one-fourth of the 68-member House and decides which party will form the government in the state.

“The Congress ruled Himachal for 30 years while the BJP for 17 years. Today, the problems the hill state is facing, the condition it is in is due to Congress and the BJP,” said Kejriwal to the loud cheer from the crowd.

For the past few days, Kejriwal said he had seen that Congress and the BJP were cursing him. “Why curse me. Nadda does it, Anurag Thakur does it. But why do you curse me? It is not me but you who looted the state,” said the Delhi chief minister.

He also launched a scathing attack on chief minister jai Ram Thakur over his statement that Delhi model won’t work in Himachal as the social and political situations here are different.

Delhi model means “honest” government. It is possible in Himachal as well but their intentions are not good, he alleged.

“There intention is to steal everything,” he said. Maintaining that he doesn’t know how to do politics, Kejriwal claimed himself to be a staunch patriot who is ready to die for the country.

He said the Delhi people gave him a chance after the Anna Movement and his government has brought transformed the education and health services in the national capital.

“See the change in Delhi schools. Once they were like the schools in Himachal today—in very poor condition,” he said.

“Don’t you want a similar change in Himachal?” he asked. Similarly, he said, Delhi hospitals have been transformed where every test and treatment is free of cost.

Taking a pot-shot at his Himachal counterpart, Kejriwal said Jai Ram announced 125 units of free electricity in Himachal which was a copy of AAP.

He said Congress and the BJP have looted Himachal turn by turn and people the third party deserves one chance in the state.

The Delhi CM also urged the “good people” in the BJP, Congress, or any other party to join AAP if they want to see a “Naya Himachal”.