Punjab elections: Manish Sisodia said in Mohali "Your vote is in the name of Arvind Kejriwal"
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Manish Sisodia today urged the people of Punjab to "vote as if Arvind Kejriwal will be Chief Minister". This was interpreted by many as a big hint on Mr Kejriwal's plans for the state which will vote on February 4.
"When you are voting, think that you are voting to make Arvind Kejriwal chief minister. Whatever we promise, Mr Kejriwal will make sure they are fulfilled," Mr Sisodia, the Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi, said while addressing a public meeting in Mohali.
Pressed by reporters, Mr Sisodia did not rule out the possibility.
"Why are you asking me? MLAS (Lawmakers) will decide," Mr Sisodia said, asked whether Mr Kejriwal is the party's chief ministerial candidate in Punjab.
"Regardless of who becomes chief minister, I will say this. Punjab's Chief Minister will be someone who will free the state of drugs and corruption," he added.
After taking charge in 2015 as Delhi's Chief Minister for the second time, Mr Kejriwal assigned major portfolios to Mr Sisodia as his deputy, saying he would focus on campaigning in other cities.
But AAP sources said there is no question of Mr Kejriwal quitting Delhi to focus on Punjab, drawing a parallel to the BJP asking for votes in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's name in Uttar Pradesh. "That doesn't make him the chief ministerial candidate for the state, does it?" said a leader.
AAP has not projected any chief ministerial face in Punjab, where it has announced candidates in all 117 seats.
Though the speculation is not new, Mr Sisodia's comment was seized by rival parties.
"By asking people to vote for Arvind Kejriwal as Chief Minister of Punjab, Manish Sisodia has exposed their plan. AAP has proven it does not trust Punjabis," tweeted Akali Dal leader Sukhbir Singh Badal, the Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab.
Congress' chief ministerial candidate Captain Amarinder Singh, who described Mr Kejriwal as a "sneaky little fellow" in an interview to NDTV, repeated that phrase today. "After months of beating around the bush, truth of @ArvindKejriwal and his nefarious ambitions comes out! What a sneaky little fellow," tweeted the Captain.