‘If you choose jhadu, I will not have to go back to jail’: Kejriwal

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and accused him of “dictatorship”.

Campaigning for Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidates in New Delhi and West Delhi during the roadshows, Kejriwal said that he would not have to go back to jail if Delhi chose to vote for the AAP. The roadshows were held in Moti Nagar and Uttam Nagar.

“If you choose the jhadu (AAP’s symbol), I won’t have to go back to jail. The power is in your hands,” said Kejriwal while speaking at Moti Nagar. He was accompanied by Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann.

The AAP national convener said that he was jailed because he worked for the people of Delhi and provided free electricity.

“My fault is that I made good schools for your kids, and arranged healthcare for your family. I made sure that you got free medicine and electricity... BJP does not want this to be done... If I went back to jail, BJP would stop your work, degrade schools and shut down hospitals and Mohalla clinics,” he alleged.

Kejriwal continued with his attack on the BJP and said he was denied insulin for 15 days in Tihar jail. “It was people’s pressure that led to the medicines being provided to me... Country can not be run like this,” said Kejriwal.

Delhi CM said that if he made 500 good schools, the Prime Minister should have developed 5000 schools instead of jailing him, adding that the BJP is seeking 400 seats to “change the Constitution and end reservations”.

“Like Putin in Russia... They want to change the Constitution. There are no elections in Russia and Putin remains president. They will stop holding elections... Do you want democracy and reservation to end? Vote for broom to prevent it,” he added.

He also spoke about New Delhi candidate Somnath Bharti while accusing the BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi of being inaccessible to people. “Bharti will be there for you 24 hours. In Malviya Nagar as MLA, he is accessible all the time. He will help you in good and bad times,” Kejriwal said.

Also read: Kejriwal makes 10 poll guarantees: ‘24*7 electricity, no Agniveer scheme…’

Mann said that Kejriwal had been missing people of Delhi while being jailed and has held four roadshows in 48 hours. “He has come out of jail... he has to go back to jail on June 2 but even 20 days are enough for patriots and he would change the country,” said Mann.

The second roadshow was held in Uttam Nagar along with INDIA bloc candidate Mahabal Mishra. At Uttam Nagar, Kejriwal said he was out of jail because of the blessings of millions of people. “My life is dedicated to the country. Over these 20 days, I will work 24 hours and ask people to end this dictatorship,” he added.

Earlier in the day, AAP youth wing Chhatra Yuva Sagharsh Samiti participated in the “Jail ka jawab vote se campaign” led by Delhi convener Gopal Rai. AAP also conducted a cyclathon in Delhi on Sunday morning.

“We are taking the message to people about the importance of ending the BJP’s rule,” said Rai.