As the Delhi High Court is poised to deliver its verdict on Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's plea challenging his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on April 9, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is rebooting its Lok Sabha campaign titled 'Jail Ka Jawab Vote Se'.
The AAP has prominently displayed a large hoarding at its headquarters featuring Kejriwal's face behind bars, accompanied by the caption 'Jail Ka Jawab Vote Se'. The CM's arrest on March 21 by the central probe agency, in connection with a money laundering case associated with the now-defunct excise policy, has been highlighted on the hoarding.
As part of the campaign efforts, AAP workers will undertake visits to the Lok Sabha constituencies where the party has nominated candidates. The AAP is slated to contest four Lok Sabha constituencies in the national capital.
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AAP Delhi convener Gopal Rai urged people to respond to “dictatorship" with their votes. The AAP workers will visit each house in the Lok Sabha constituencies, meet the family and tell them how their CM had been arrested in a false case. The AAP leaders will also tell them how voters benefited from the policies and how these measures will go away if the BJP comes to power.
“Kejriwal spent his life and has sacrificed a lot for the people of Delhi but a huge conspiracy has been played against him and he has been put in jail. The entire country is asking what is going to happen. How would Delhi function without him? How will your schools get good education, health, water, and electricity without him? We must bring him back… It is in the hands of you 2 crores people of Delhi,” said AAP leader Sandeep Pathak at a press conference.
Decision taken long ago
According to AAP leaders, the party had already finalised plans for the Lok Sabha poll campaigns well before the CM's arrest. It is reported that Kejriwal himself had delegated various aspects of the poll campaign in a manner that did not necessitate the CM's direct involvement. “The CM must have anticipated that situation and already decided who will take over the various responsibilities. The decision will be taken at that point of time only and all party leaders will, of course, abide by it,” an AAP insider told the Times of India. It was reportedly decided that while administration will be taken care of by treasurer Pankaj Gupta, work related to Delhi will be the responsibility of state convener and minister Gopal Rai.
Calculated move
Kejriwal had already launched the party’s campaign for Delhi, Haryana, and Punjab before he was arrested by the ED. The AAP national convenor, along with Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, sounded the bugle for the lone Lok Sabha seat Kurukshetra. The slogan then was ‘Badlenge Kurukshetra, Badlenge Haryana/Ibbke INDIA ko jeetana’. Soon, the party launched the Punjab drive with the slogan ‘Punjab Sansad Vich Ve Bhagwant Mann’.
Just days after Kejriwal’s arrest, his wife Sunita Kejriwal read out the jailed leader’s six ‘guarantees’ if voted to power. These included 24×7 electricity supply, free and high-quality education, free electricity for the poor, Mohalla Clinics and free health services, MSP for farmers as detailed in the Swaminathan Commission report and statehood for Delhi. Sunita also launched a WhatsApp campaign to seek support for Kejriwal just days before the INDIA bloc's rally to protest his arrest.
Contesting the Lok Sabha polls in an alliance with the Congress, the AAP has fielded candidates on four seats -- New Delhi, East Delhi, South Delhi and West Delhi. The Congress is contesting the remaining three seats in the national capital.
Polling for the seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi will be held on May 25.
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