AAP strategy is to lie, BJP will sweep Delhi: Javadekar

NEWDELHI: Senior BJP leader and Union minister of environment, forest, and climate change on Sunday attacked chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, saying the Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) strategy revolves around lies and taking credit for other’s work. He also said the BJP will get a “huge mandate” in the Delhi assembly elections, due early next year.

“We are winning Delhi, and that too with a huge margin,” Javadekar said.

After its victory in the May 2014 polls in all seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi, the BJP won just three seats of 70 in the 2015 Delhi Assembly polls.

“This time it [BJP repeating its 2019 Lok Sabha polls performance in the Delhi state assembly elections] will happen,” the Union minister said.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP won all seven seats in Delhi, garnering nearly 56% of the total votes polled, while the AAP was relegated to the third position.

Asked whether the BJP will name a chief ministerial candidate in Delhi, he said it was a matter of poll strategy.

“It’s state specific. We have announced in Maharashtra and Haryana. So, somewhere we announce, somewhere we do not. It is not because they [Devendra Fadnavis and ML Khattar] are incumbent, but because it is strategy. Strategy should not be confused with policy,” he said.

Responding to on whether there will be any change in the Delhi unit leadership before the polls, Javadekar said the focus of the party is to win the assembly election and it is preparing for it.

AAP spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj did not respond to calls and messages requesting comment.

SAKIB ALI AND SANJEEV VERMA/ HT PHOTOS (Above) Devotees perform ‘dhunuchi naach’ (dance) at a pandal in Ghaziabad on Ashtami, the eighth day of Durga Puja; the idol at cooperative ground in south Delhi’s Chittaranjan Park. Ashtami is one of the most auspicious days of Puja celebrations, and is marked with ‘sandhi puja’, which is said to be an ode to goddess Kali.