Delhi polls | Modi-Kejriwal face-off intensifies as campaign gathers momentum

With the Delhi Assembly election schedule expected to be out anytime soon, the politics in the national capital has heated up. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal are engaged in a political slugfest over a host of issues.

Sunday was no different with PM Modi accusing Delhi’s AAP government of wasting a decade fighting with the Centre and urging its people to give the BJP an opportunity to turn the national capital into a city of the future.

Modi dubs AAP regime ‘aapda’

Addressing a rally in the Rohini area, the prime minister dubbed the AAP government a “disaster” that had struck Delhi and asserted the BJP would usher in change. “Only when this ‘aapda’ (disaster) is gotten rid of in Delhi, the double-engine of development will come in,” Modi said.

Also read: Delhi polls: Modi-Kejriwal spar on graft sets stage for shriller campaign

The prime minister said the Centre had been developing highways in Delhi, expanding the Metro network, starting the Namo Bharat Regional Rapid Transit System, and running big hospitals. “However, the moment you step out of a Metro station, you can see potholed roads, overflowing sewers. Some areas are such that even auto and cab drivers refuse to ply due to long traffic jams,” he said.

“In the past 10 years, Delhi has witnessed a state government that is no less than an ‘aapda’ (disaster)! Delhiites have realised this. Only one voice is reverberating in Delhi – ‘Aapda nahi sahenge, badal kar rahenge’ (will not tolerate disaster, will bring change),” Modi said.

‘Sheesh Mahal’ barb at Kejriwal

The prime minister said when the people of Delhi were grappling with COVID-19, struggling to find oxygen and medicines, the entire focus of the “aapda people” was on building their “Sheesh Mahal”.

“They made a huge budget for the ‘Sheesh Mahal’. This is their truth...They do not care about the people of Delhi. That is why every Delhiite today is saying...‘We will not tolerate aapda, we will change’,” he said.

Modi also quoted a newspaper report to say, “The cost of renovation of the CM’s residence rose three times, and this work was done while the capital was struggling with COVID.”

‘Sheesh Mahal’ is the name that the AAP’s political rivals have consistently used for the official residence of the Delhi chief minister, which was refurbished at a massive cost to the exchequer while Kejriwal was still the CM.

Also read: Kejriwal's scheme for priests: Populist gimmick or political strategy?

Kejriwal hits back at Modi

On the other hand, Kejriwal termed the two projects inaugurated by Prime Minister Modi on Sunday as milestones for Delhi’s infrastructure and claimed they were joint ventures between the central and the city governments.

Taking a dig at Modi, Kejriwal said, “These inaugurations are a reply to those who say AAP only engages in fights.” He lashed out at the prime minister, alleging that he devoted the majority of his speech to criticise the Delhi government.

War of words heating up

The two leaders, who are leading the campaign of their respective parties, have been engaged in a heated war of words for almost a week now.

It all started with PM Modi’s address at an event in Ashok Vihar recently where he called the AAP an “aapda” that has taken the national capital in its grip in the last 10 years.

He also mounted an offensive against Kejriwal, saying he too, over the past decade of occupying the country’s highest executive office, could have “built a Sheesh Mahal” for himself but chose to build four crore houses for the poor.

Also read: Kejriwal built 'sheesh mahal' for self instead of infra for Delhi: Amit Shah

Responding to Modi’s remark calling AAP the “aapda” (disaster) for Delhi, Kejriwal said the fact that Modi spent 39 minutes of his 43-minute speech cursing Delhiites and the government they elected, was proof that the BJP did not do anything for the national capital. Referring to promises made by the BJP in its 2020 Delhi poll manifesto, he said, “How dare the BJP seek votes from Delhi's people when they have done nothing for the city?”

Kejriwal launched a counter-offensive against Modi asserting, “Talking about ‘Sheesh Mahal’ doesn’t suit one who builds a house worth Rs 2,700 crore for himself, who travels in an airplane worth Rs 8,400 crore, one who wears a suit worth Rs 10 lakh.” Kejriwal’s “house worth Rs 2700 crore” jibe is a reference to the prime minister’s new residence being built as part of the ongoing expansion of the Central Vista; a multi-million rupee plan widely dubbed by the wider Opposition as Modi’s pet vanity project.