New Delhi:
Battlelines have been drawn for the Delhi assembly polls. The three big players for the chief ministers' job today took on each other, just a day after the poll dates were announced.
Arvind Kejriwal, whose Aam Aadmi Party or AAP is making its political debut in these elections, turning up the heat on the Congress and the BJP, vowed to hold a special Assembly session at Ramlila ground on December 29 to adopt the Lokpal Bill, after forming the government.
"Election dates have been announced and by December 15 we will form the government and on December 29 a special session (of the assembly) would be called at Ramlila ground, where Anna Hazare was on 11-day long fast unto death for Jan Lokpal Bill, and the Bill would be adopted there," Mr Kejriwal claimed in a press conference.
Minutes after that, Sheila Dikshit, who is seeking a fourth term as chief minister, dismissed allegations of corruption against her government.
"People are aware of the changing face of Delhi. We have changed the face of Delhi... The opposition always cries corruption in our government. I want to ask them where is corruption? Give us evidence of corruption," she said.
The BJP, which has lost the last three state elections, hit back quickly.
"Sheila Dikshit has claimed that there is no proof of corruption against her. The biggest proof has been provided by Lokayukta. Shunglu committee, CAG, PAC have all found her guilty," said Vijay Goel, BJP President, Delhi.
Delhi will vote for its 70 assembly seats on December 4. Both the BJP and the Congress are yet to officially announce candidates for the 70 assembly seats or their CM nominees, however, they insist that the real battle will be between them.
"What we announced earlier, the smaller parties are saying now... We have said that Lokpal Bill will be brought by us... The government has done nothing on this," said Vijay Goel, BJP President, Delhi.
Congress' Shakeel Ahmed, downplaying AAP, said "We see the BJP and AAP as one party."
"It is strange that both the Congress and the BJP, instead of attacking each other, are attacking us... We are leading," Mr Kejriwal replied.
The battle for Delhi has started, and while both the Congress and BJP try and downplay AAP, the fact is that for the first time Delhiites will have a triangular contest.