AAP, Twenty20 to work together in State

Kejriwal says alliance will change Kerala for good

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Twenty20 leader Sabu Jacob and Aam Aadmi Party leader P.C. Cyriac at ‘Janasangham’ a meet jointly organised by both the parties at Kizhakkambalam in Ernakulam on Sunday. | Photo Credit: THULASI KAKKAT

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Twenty20, a non-political formation ruling the Kizhakkambalam village panchayat, will form an alliance in the State to usher in a political change, Delhi Chief Minister and AAP leader Aravind Kejriwal has said.

Speaking at a joint meeting held at Kizhakkambalam on Sunday, Mr. Kejriwal said the alliance would change Kerala for good. The Delhi model of governance led by the AAP had attracted global attention.

Delhi was in a bad shape before the party came to power. Corruption was rampant, schools were in bad shape and frequent power-cuts were the order of the day. One had to pay bribe for accessing the services offered by the government, including ration cards; caste, death and birth certificates; and obtaining power and water connections, he said.

The AAP government had ended corruption. All the services offered by the government were delivered at the doorsteps of the people. Power and water supply had been made free and women are offered free rides in the buses in Delhi. The condition of the government schools had improved tremendously and last year over four-lakh students shifted their studies from private institutions to government schools, he said.

Mr. Kejriwal said no one knew about him or the party a decade ago. However, by God’s grace, the party could form government in Delhi thrice and in Punjab this year. The elections saw housewives and students defeating senior politicians, including some four-time legislators in Delhi. In Punjab, a technician of a mobile shop had trounced the State Chief Minister and leader of the Akali Dal. It was God that did the magic in these States, he said.

The AAP leader said political parties would not address the issue of lack of quality education and unemployment as they wanted youngsters to be their workers and goons. The AAP was not for goondagiri but to serve the people of the country, he said.

In his address, Sabu M. Jacob, the chief coordinator of the Twenty20, said Kerala had become the land of murderers. The State government, which could not profitably operate the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation and the Kochi Metro rail, was pitching for K-Rail, the highly expensive semi-high-speed rail project. Once the rail project was implemented, the debt-ridden State will plunge into further crisis, he said.

Earlier, he had held discussions with the party leaders of the State.

AAP Kerala leaders P.C. Cyriac and M. Raja were present.