Arvind Kejriwal called upon voters to support AAP in the Gujarat elections
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday claimed that many leaders and workers of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Gujarat secretly support his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and want to see the defeat of their own party in the upcoming Assembly elections.
Targeting the BJP over the posters that surfaced in several Gujarat cities on Saturday in which he was termed as "anti-Hindu", the AAP's national convener said those behind the posters were "demons and descendants of Kans".
"Many BJP leaders and workers meet me and secretly ask me to do something to defeat the ruling party. I would like to tell all the BJP workers and leaders who want to defeat their party to work secretly for AAP," he said at a rally in tribal-dominated Valsad district in Gujarat, where Assembly polls are slated to be held in the next couple of months.
"We have to break 27 years of their (BJP's) arrogance. I know you have your businesses, if you join us they will damage your business. You stay there, but secretly work to defeat it. Congress workers need not fear, you can leave your party and join AAP. Forget your party," Kejriwal said.
He called upon the voters to support AAP in the upcoming election in order to "wipe out the demons".
Everyone should get united for a new Gujarat. Do not care about the party, work for Gujarat, work for the country, he said, and claimed that AAP will usher in a "new storm, new politics, new party, new faces, new ideas, and new dawn".
The Delhi CM also slammed the BJP workers, saying, "They go around and whisper that 'While Kejriwal is good, he will not win in Gujarat this time, but next time'. If anyone tells you so, then know that he is from the BJP. Tell him that not next time, but (Kejriwal will win this time)." On the banners calling him "anti-Hindu", he alleged, "Those who insult god are called 'rakshas' (demons). Those who insult gods are called 'Kans ki aulaad' (descendants of Kans). What would demons do in ancient times? They would enter any village, indulge in hooliganism, tease and rape women." Calling himself a devotee of Lord Hanuman, Kejriwal said he was born on the day of Janmashtami and Krishna was his nickname at home.
"And Lord Krishna has blessed me and sent me with a special task to finish off these descendants of Kans. Public is god. I need you support. Will you support me to complete the work of god, to finish the demons?" he asked.
"We have to wipe out these demons for the peace of the public. We have to finish those corrupt goons, those who insult gods. Inflation has made life impossible. Price of everything rises while the salary does not," he said.
Kejriwal promised that if AAP comes to power in Gujarat, it would provide clean administration and eliminate corruption. He also reminded people of his party's promises including providing free electricity, 15 lakh jobs, unemployment allowance, in Gujarat.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)