I am not angling after PM’s post, says Kejriwal in Gujarat
On a mission to trump the BJP in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s home state, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday strove hard to play down a direct contest with him, saying he was not angling to be Prime Minister.
“We’re not here for such posts. I just want to make India the No. 1 country,” he said, in response to a point-blank question in Gujarat.
Kejriwal is on a two-day visit to poll-bound Gujarat, accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who is facing a CBI probe in connection with the AAP government’s previous excise policy. This is his AAP convenor’s fifth visit to the state in less than a month.
Also read: Manish Sisodia: ‘Got offer to break AAP, join BJP, have all cases closed’
Stress on health, education
Kejriwal stressed on healthcare and education, promising that the AAP will replicate what it has achieved in Delhi in these two sectors. “We will ensure free and good healthcare for you and your family,” Kejriwal said while addressing reporters.
He said that the Delhi government has done a lot of work on the issues of inflation and unemployment. “We made electricity and water free in Delhi, we provided better healthcare facilities and made transport free for women,” he said, adding, “these measures gave people in Delhi some relief from rising prices.”
He said that AAP gave employment to 12 lakh youth. “We know how to provide employment,” he said. “People in Gujarat are troubled by inflation and high unemployment,” he said while exhorting the people of Gujarat to give AAP a chance in the state. “We will do in Gujarat what we have achieved in Delhi – good healthcare, good schools and education,” he said.
Kejriwal attacks Centre
Earlier, in Delhi, Kejriwal attacked the Centre over a host of issues, including inflation and unemployment, and wondered how will the nation progress like this. Who will people talk to about their issues when these people are playing CBI-ED and are busy toppling governments,” he said.
“Rupee is falling, people are troubled by inflation, unemployment is at a high — these people are playing CBI-ED, and are busy toppling governments chosen by people and trading barbs the whole day,” he said.
“Who do people talk to about their issues and whom should they go to? How will the nation progress like this?” he said in a tweet in Hindi.
Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia had on Sunday declared that the 2024 Lok Sabha polls will be a contest between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the AAP chief. Sisodia had said people are looking at Kejriwal as an alternative to Modi.
