Raghav Chadha, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and the newly-appointed Gujarat co-incharge for the party, today said that the forthcoming Gujarat assembly elections are fast turning out to be a direct contest between the ruling BJP and AAP. Speaking to NDTV, he said: "The general perception in the mind of Gujaratis is that voting for Congress is a waste. If Congress couldn't come to power in the state for 27 years, what can one expect from the party now?"
Taking a swipe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's 'Bharat Jodo Yatra', Mr Chadha said: "While Rahul Gandhi's 'India Jodo' campaign is on, a 'Quit Congress' campaign is in progress in the Gujarat unit of Congress party."
Elections in Gujarat are scheduled to be held towards the end of this year.
Referring to AAP Convenor and Delhi Chief Minister, Arvind Kejriwal, Mr Chadha commented: "There is only one person in the field fighting the BJP, his name is Arvind Kejriwal."
Commenting on reports of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) issuing summons to AAP leader Durgesh Pathak, Mr Chadha said: "We have the information that he, too, has been called for questioning regarding the excise issue [over issuing liquor licences in Delhi]. Durgesh Pathak has nothing to do with Delhi Government, Finance Department or Excise Department. He was not even an MLA when the excise policy was implemented. This shows that work is on to weaken the seven-eight strong pillars of Arvind Kejriwal ji."
Mr Pathak is the AAP election in-charge for Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).
Earlier today, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister and AAP leader Manish Sisodia had claimed that ED had summoned Mr Pathak in connection with its excise policy probe. Mr Sisodia questioned the summons to Mr Pathak and said that the ED move was probably related to the forthcoming MCD elections.
His words were echoed by Mr Chadha who said: "Municipal Corporation elections are coming, so our municipal [poll] in-charge was called for questioning."
Commenting on the protests by Chandigarh University students, Mr Chadha said: "Punjab Police and Punjab government are taking action on this matter. An FIR has been registered and magisterial inquiry has been ordered. The accused woman and one of her accomplices have been arrested from Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, and forensic examination of equipment is currently under way. Footage from CCTV cameras are also being checked."
Students alleged that a girl student at the university had shot as many as 60 private videos of herself and her hostel mates and forwarded them to her boyfriend in Shimla. They also alleged that some of the videos were uploaded on social media and porn websites. Police, however, said they have found no other video of any other girl and said rumour-mongering had led to panic and protests by the students.
"With folded hands, we would like to request the victims and the families of the victims that we are all with you, you will get justice as soon as possible, do not lose courage and maintain peace," Mr Chadha said.
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