Punjab elections 2017: Rahul Gandhi's Congress faces a tough fight from AAP and the Akali-BJP alliance.
Attacking Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi on Thursday alleged that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader was "trying to back the perpetrators of the bomb blast in Punjab".
"There was bomb blast a couple of days back in which six people died. And Arvind Kejriwal is backing the perpetrators of the blast. He is allowing them to contest elections. This is very dangerous for Punjab. If these elements gain strength in Punjab, then it will hijack all the development issues," said Mr Gandhi during a public rally, on the last day of campaigning for the February 4 elections.
Two men and a child were killed in the explosion on Tuesday evening just as a rally of Congress candidate Harminder Singh Jassi ended at Maur Mandi town, 200 km from Chandigarh.
Three more died of their injuries later in the hospital.
Six people were killed in an IED blast in Punjab this week.
Mr Gandhi's comments come as Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal earlier said in a statement that "the manner in which the bomb blasts were executed was a throwback to the days of terrorism".
Mr Badal said that the blast was a direct result of the AAP's nexus with radical elements.
Earlier, Mr Kejriwal had called for Mr Badal's arrest, alleging that he had a role in the blasts.
"To ensure peaceful elections, Sukhbir Badal should be immediately arrested. His role in yesterday's blast must be probed. He'll cause more violence," Mr Kejriwal had tweeted.
State Congress president and chief ministerial candidate Amarinder Singh has also accused Mr Kejriwal of "promoting extremist forces" such as the Khalistan Commando Force.
He said that Mr Kejriwal, who had stayed at a KCF extremist's house in Punjab, was fanning terror forces through his actions.
"Even if the AAP is not directly involved in the explosions, it was clearly promoting extremist ideology," he said.