Shah slams AAP for allying with Congress in Delhi for LS polls
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday attacked the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Congress tieup in the national capital, saying Opposition parties could keep on forming alliances ahead of the general election, but the Narendra Modiled government is bound to return to power with over 400 seats.
In response, AAP said: “The people of Delhi have repeatedly shown their preference for an honest government and will ensure the ouster of the BJP in the upcoming Lok Sabha election.”
Mr. Shah made the comments while unveiling several development projects in Delhi, which included providing piped gas to 41 urbanised villages, along with Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena.
Delivering on promises
“There are two kinds of people in politics — those who deliver on their promises and those who do the opposite. Both types of people are present in Delhi. One is Narendra Modi and the other is Arvind Kejriwal,” the Home Minister said.
The senior BJP leader listed a number of achievements of the Union government, including the dilution of Article 370 and the construction of Ram Temple. He said Mr. Kejriwal had joined forces with “the same party against which he had launched an anticorruption campaign”.
“When Anna Hazare was protesting against corruption at the Ramlila Maidan, they [AAP leaders] would say they would never join politics,” he added.
“Now, Anna Hazare is nowhere and Kejriwal has become the Chief Minister,” Mr. Shah said.
“When they [AAP leaders] came to power, they said, ‘We will never take VIP benefits’. But now they have made a Sheesh Mahal for themselves,” the Home Minister said, referring to the controversy surrounding alleged irregularities in the renovation of the CM’s official residence.
‘Free liquor’
“They promised free education, but instead gave free liquor,” Mr. Shah said, taking a swipe at former Education Minister Manish Sisodia, who is in judicial custody in a money laundering case related to the liquor ‘scam’.
Replying to Mr. Shah’s remarks, AAP, in a statement, said: “On the one hand, you have AAP fighting on peoplecentric issues and on the other, the BJP is creating hurdles and becoming an obstacle in any scheme we bring for the betterment of the people of Delhi.”