‘AAP-da’: Day before Delhi voting, Modi targets Kejriwal in Parliament
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PM Narendra Modi speaks in Parliament on Tuesday | PTI

‘AAP-da’: Day before Delhi voting, Modi targets Kejriwal in Parliament

From sheesh mahal to jacuzzis, PM's veiled attacks on AAP leader were hard to miss; his attacks on Gandhi family, though, were more direct


In a last-ditch effort to help the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) regain power in Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a thinly-veiled attack on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) during his speech in Parliament on the Motion of Thanks on the address of President on Tuesday (February 4).

While the Congress and the members of the Gandhi family largely remained the target of the attack, the Prime Minister categorically stated that while the BJP was working for the youth, “some people” were making false promises to the youth at the time of elections and these parties were “aapda” (calamity) — a clear play on “AAP” — for the people.

Sheesh Mahal jeer

Although the prime minister did not name the AAP or former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal in his speech, he further said that while the Union government was busy building the nation, there were leaders who were building “Sheesh Mahal” (Glass Palace) for themselves. The BJP has been using the word to criticise the lavishly renovated Delhi chief minister’s residence.

“We have been working continuously for the youth of the country and we keep the future of youth is always on our mind. There are some parties that are only deceiving the youth. These parties make big promises of giving allowances at the time of elections but never fulfil the promises. These parties are aapda on the future of youth of the country,” Modi said.

Also read: Delhi polls | 'Deliberate pressure tactics': EC hits back at AAP

‘False promises’

The BJP has launched a series of allegations against the AAP government in Delhi and primarily on Kejriwal in the Delhi polls. Modi has accused the AAP government of being the aapda or calamity for the people of Delhi. This was the first time Modi used words like “AAP-Da” and “Sheesh Mahal” on the floor of the Lok Sabha.

“The Delhi polls are about false promises, corruption charges against the AAP leadership, especially Arvind Kejriwal and over-expenses for personal use by AAP leaders. There is anti-incumbency against the AAP, and PM Modi has exposed the AAP on the floor of the Lok Sabha. These are important issues for the people of Delhi,” RP Singh, national spokesperson of BJP, told The Federal.

Also read | How PM Modi fielded Rahul Gandhi's barbs in Lok Sabha | Top quotes

Without naming the AAP leadership in the speech in Lok Sabha, Modi stated that some people were building jacuzzi and showers. In a three-pronged strategy against the AAP government in Delhi, the BJP leadership has accused the regional party of corruption, making false promises and extravagant expenses done by the AAP leadership, particularly Arvind Kejriwal.

‘May not work’

Political analysts believe that a disguised attack on the AAP government in Delhi or Arvind Kejriwal by PM Modi may not work in favour of the BJP in Delhi polls but some of the recent steps taken by the BJP provided concrete benefits to the people and it may help the BJP to corner middle class votes and also votes of the government servants.

“These kinds of veiled attacks may not work to change the opinion of the people at the last minute. However, this is a smart strategy used by the BJP to reach out to the people. It is possible that the decision to announce income tax rebate up to Rs 12 lakh and the announcement of the 8th Pay Commission to please the government servants may help the BJP in the Delhi elections and attract the middle class and government servants towards the BJP in the polls,” Abhay Dubey, author and professor at Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS), Delhi, told The Federal.

Also read: Delhi polls | 'Don't put democracy in peril for post-retirement job': Kejriwal to CEC

Gandhi family

Even as Prime Minister carried out veiled attacks on the AAP, the attack on the Gandhi family was more direct. While Modi did not name any member of the Gandhi family, he specified that there was only one family with three members in the Parliament.

The BJP, on the other hand, was working for the uplift of the Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) by increasing the number of medical seats this section of people, he said.

“There are some families that have built museums for their family members but we have made museums for all the Prime Ministers of India…The government has worked towards providing better opportunities to the SC, ST and OBC communities…,” Modi said in his over 90-minute speech.

Last-minute push

While opposition parties have often accused the BJP of not working for the benefit of farmers, Modi took the opportunity to clarify that the Union government provided Rs.3.5 lakh crore to farmers under the PM Kisan scheme and tripled the minimum support price in the last ten years of the NDA government.

Political analysts feel that while the Prime Minister tried to corner the Congress and the Gandhi family, most of the claims made by the PM were already in public domain and known to the people.

Also read: Delhi polls: Over 30,000 police personnel, 220 paramilitary units deployed

“The voting in Delhi for the assembly elections is on Wednesday, so the PM has tried to give a last-minute push to the BJP by attacking the AAP and the Congress. The prime minister has tried to reach out to the fence-sitters or the floating voters, and Scheduled Caste community before the voting. The BJP wants to make history by regaining power in Delhi because it has been out of power for 26 years,” AK Verma, director at the Centre for the Study of Society and Politics (CSSP), Kanpur, told The Federal.

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