AAP making inroads in K'taka rattles political parties; see Cong, JD(S), BJP's reaction vs AAP's response

Arvind Kejriwal, the national convenor of the Aam Admi Party (AAP) and Chief Minister of Delhi, addressed a huge gathering in Bengaluru on Thursday, where he urged the people of the state to vote for AAP if they want free education, healthcare, power and an 'honest' government.

Addressing a convention organised to announce the pact between the Karnataka State Farmers' Association and AAP, Kejriwal said: "AAP is not a party of gangsters and rapists. AAP runs an honest government."

Kejriwal also compared the attitude of the Centre on the now-repealed farm laws to the arrogance of Ravana, and congratulated the farmers for compelling the government to withdraw the agri laws.

"When the anti-corruption agitation was first launched at the Ramlila Maidan in Delhi, politicians had mocked it and challenged us to come to power and deliver corruption-free governance. They also provoked the common man. But our government was formed in Delhi and then in Punjab, and now we have to form government in Karnataka," he said. "The previous one was a 20 per cent (commission) government in Karnataka, the present one is a 40 per cent government. In Delhi, we have a corruption-free government. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had given a certificate of honesty to me as after successive raids at my house and office, they could not find anything. At least 20 MLAs of the party were also raided, but they could find nothing.

"If you want a similar magic in Karnataka, AAP has to come to power. Healthcare is free in Delhi. Power is free. How could we do it? It was made possible through honesty. The money which we saved through honesty suffices for all free services," he added.

Karnataka's politicos rattled by AAP?

The top three political parties in Karnataka, BJP, Congress and JD(S), have reacted to AAP's intentions to making inroads in Karnataka. Kejriwal's visit to Karnataka is seen as a major threat to the political monopoly in the southern state.

Congress leader and ex-CM Siddaramaiah has left the decision up to people while reacting to AAP's move.

AAP is a big party, they have been politics since many years. I won't talk about AAP, they haven't contested elections in state so far.But today Kejriwal has come & said "we'll field candidates in elections", let them field, people will decide.

Reacting to Kejriwal's 40% remark, Siddaramaiah said: "we've been telling the same, let's leave it to people."

Arvind Kejriwal, the national convenor of the Aam Admi Party (AAP) and Chief Minister of Delhi, addressed a huge gathering in Bengaluru on Thursday

AAP state convener Prithvi Reddy reacts to Congress leader's remark and said:

We are a new born small party, who have shown in a very short period of time how much pro-people work is possible if honest people join together, AAP offers a ray of hope for people of our state and country. Congress is an old party and spent force, people have lost hope in this party. AAP is the only party which has offered corruption free governance and has the moral authority to call out the corruption of JCB parties. People are not interested in 40% or 20% corruption they want "0%" corruption which only AAP can offer," he said.

Taking a jibe at AAP, JD(S) leader Kumaraswamy underplayed the party's potential to bring about a change in a new state.

What will Kejriwal do in Karnataka? Is it possible to run government in this state trusting Kejriwal? We're not able to do anything despite doing so much work, what will they do now coming from Delhi? Is it possible for Kejriwal to give 0% govt with those who sat beside him ? Delhi politics and state politics are two entirely different things," he said.

AAP also pointed out that BJP, which has all these days been mocking AAPs electricity schemes in Delhi, has tried to implement a similar model in Karnataka by offering 75 units of electricity to SC/ST families in the state.

"If the BJP stops taking 40% commission they can offer at least 200 units of current free to every family is Karnataka," it said.

"There are many good people in all the 3 major parties in our state, as mentioned by Shri Arvind Kejriwal all good likeminded people must come forward to join AAP to bring political change and deliver justice to the people of Karnataka," Reddy added.