AAP will contest all Assembly seats in Gujarat polls next year, says Kejriwal

BJP, Congress playing a fixed match to trick the voters, he says.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. File

Delhi Chief Minister and convener of the Aam Admi Party (AAP) Arvind Kejriwal on Monday said the party will contest all seats in the Gujarat Assembly polls slated to be held at the end of 2022.

Mr. Kejriwal told the media that the AAP would provide a “real alternative” to the people of Gujarat while visiting a temple in Ahmedabad. He inducted popular TV anchor Isudan Gadhavi into the party.

“The AAP will contest each and every seat in the 2022 Gujarat Assembly elections. The AAP is a credible alternative to the BJP and the Congress. Gujarat will change soon,” he said.

“In the past one year during the pandemic, Gujarat has been treated like an orphan without anyone to take care of. Today, youth are unemployed, farmers are committing suicide and children are struggling to get admission in schools and colleges. Even businessmen and traders are scared,” he said at the Vallabh Sadan temple.

He slammed both the ruling BJP and the Opposition Congress for the ‘plight’ of the State and said both parties were playing a fixed match to trick the voters.

“Gujarat is suffering because of the friendly alliance between them. The BJP has been in power in the State for the last 27 years. I heard people saying the Congress is in the pocket of the BJP. Both parties are the same here as whenever the BJP is in trouble, the Congress provides help.”

Real, credible alternative

He said the AAP would prove to be a real and credible alternative to the ruling BJP as its performance in Delhi is a testimony. “The people of Gujarat want to know why the electricity costs are so high here when it’s free in Delhi. If government-run schools and hospitals are top-class in Delhi, why are they non-functional in Gujarat? The time has come to change Gujarat.”

Mr. Kejriwal had last visited Surat in February after his party emerged as the main Opposition after the civic body elections in its maiden electoral contest.

The AAP had made inroads into Gujarat politics recently by winning 27 seats in the 120-member Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) where it is the main Opposition party.

The AAP has been working across the State preparing for the Assembly polls as it senses an opportunity as the ruling party is facing anti-incumbency while the Congress remains rudderless and faction ridden.