With less than a week left for the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) election scheduled on December 4, over 25 star campaigners, including five union ministers and two chief ministers (Shivraj Singh Chauhan and Manohar Lal Khattar), of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) hit the streets on Monday to canvass for party candidates.
Union minister Piyush Goyal, who addressed public meetings in Tri Nagar, Pitampura and other places, said that the country was improving under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership and the people of Delhi must ensure the Capital is not left behind.
“Delhi should not lag behind so people should defeat both Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and teach them a lesson that they will no longer tolerate corruption. The people of Delhi want a decisive, honest and development-driven leadership, so they will choose the BJP,” Goyal said.
A lineup of 32 senior leaders, including seven union ministers, from the BJP, which is seeking a fourth consecutive term in the municipal body, has been finalised to campaign on Tuesday. The parties can campaign for only four more days because electioneering will come to an end on December 2. The votes will be counted on December 7.
Union minister Bhupendra Yadav, meanwhile, accused the Arvind Kejriwal government of neglecting the villages of Delhi. “The people of the countryside are feeling neglected today and recall the time of former chief minister Sahib Singh Verma when the CM’s residence was always open for the villagers. Delhi villages have been deprived of development, public transport and even water supply under Kejriwal’s rule and the people of the country will teach Kejriwal a lesson in the municipal elections,” Yadav said.
Union minister Jitendra Singh campaigned in Jagatpuri and Anarkali wards, while Union minister Narendra Singh Tomar participated in the election campaign in Jama Masjid, Chandni Mahal and Sadar Bazar wards and said that people of Delhi are fed up with the corruption of the last eight years of the Kejriwal government. BJP national general secretary Arun Singh, and leader Dushyant Gautam also campaigned in several areas.
The BJP has fielded candidates for all 250 seats in this election. Delhi BJP leader Kuljeet Chahal said that on December 30 a major campaign will be organised with roadshows at over 14 places across Delhi by senior BJP leaders.
Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Monday claimed that Kejriwal is famous for deceiving his own people and the people of Delhi as well. Addressing public meetings in Shastri Nagar, Shalimar Bagh and Rohini on Monday, Chauhan said: “Kejriwal betrayed his Guru (Anna Hazare), took false oaths of his children, betrayed friends like Kumar Vishwas so what else can people expect but for betrayal from him.”
“He ((Kejriwal) seeks Bharat Ratna for Satyendar Jain and Manish Sisodia. For all that they have done in Delhi, Kejriwal should be given Dhokha (betrayal) Ratna, Manish Sisodia should be given Sharab (Liquor) Ratna, and Satyendar Jain should be given Massage Ratna,” he added.
Hitting out at the AAP government over freebies, Chauhan said: “The BJP does not talk about freebies but talks about the poor and it is our resolve that there will be no slum in Delhi by 2027 as we have resolved to provide pucca houses to all slum dwellers.”
In a public meeting in Patel Nagar, Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar said: “The Kejriwal government calls itself farmer-friendly, but instead of helping stop stubble burning, it did a scam in distribution of a farm cleaning chemical. His government bought chemical for ₹23 lakh but spent ₹14 crore on its publicity. This is a big example of their corruption. Kejriwal and his ministers have done many scams, but despite these scams, his minister Satyendar Jain is enjoying special treatment inside jail.”
Khattar criticised Kejriwal for not sacking jailed AAP minister Satyendar Jain, and said if he does not do it, either the court will remove him or the people will “beat up and remove him (Jain)”. Jain is lodged in jail in a money laundering case.
Delhi BJP chief Adesh Gupta also held public meetings in Chandni Chowk while leader of opposition Ramvir Singh Bidhuri held public meetings in Sarita Vihar, Molarband and other areas in South Delhi. “The corruption cases and the special treatment being enjoyed by Satyendar Jain in Tihar Jail have fully exposed the AAP government. People are miffed with AAP,” said Bidhuri.
An AAP spokesperson declined to comment despite repeated requests.
Bhojpuri actor turned MP Ravi Kishan joined public meetings at Karmapura, Narayana, Motinagar, Inderpuri and Ramesh Nagar.
