Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal, on Sunday, announced that his party is all set to contest the Gujarat Assembly elections in 2017. Kejriwal made the announcement while addressing a huge rally at a Patidar community dominated area in Surat, Gujarat.
Kejriwal said that the ruling BJP party in Gujarat has crushed the state's democracy. "The Aam Aadmi will take on the Congress and the ruling BJP in Gujarat in the Assembly polls," Kejriwal added. Gujarat is the home state of BJP leader and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
During his speech, the AAP convener reached out to the three emerging youth leaders in Gujarat: Hardik Patel representing the Patidar Community, Jignesh Mevani representing the Dalit community in the state and Alpesh Thakore representing the OBC community in Gujarat. Kejriwal also called Hardik Patel, who headed the Patidar agitation, a "patriot."
"The Patidars who were demanding reservation here were shot at and killed? Why were they killed and at whose behest were they shot? They were our citizens, not terrorists. The stories that I have heard from the families of those who were killed made me cry. The politicians who ordered the firing on Patidar youth have to be punished and the people of Gujarat will punish them," Kejriwal said while adding that AAP supports the Patidar community in their demand for reservations.
Kejriwal also targeted BJP chief Amit Shah in his speech. "The next Assembly polls in Gujarat will see a 'revolution'. Amit Shah is on one side and the aam aadmi, who is poor, struggles for survival on the other side. But when the aam aadmi stands up, the likes of Shah will lose power," Kejriwal was quoted as saying by The Hindu. The Patidar community protested against Shah two months ago when he was in Surat for an event.
"The entire Gujarat knows who is running the State. Every instruction comes from Delhi. Earlier, Anandiben refused to follow Amit Shah's instructions and she was shown the door. Vijay Rupani has been installed as CM and he obeys every instruction and command of Shah," Kejriwal added.
The AAP leader also targeted Congress in his rally and called BJP and Congress "husband and wife."
