Kejriwal Applies Delhi Formula To Punjab, Tells Voters To Take At Least Rs 5000 In New Cash From Others And Vote For Him

Take at least Rs 5,000, in new currency notes mind you, from the Badals or the Congress for promising them your vote but cast the ballot in favour of Aam Aadmi Party. So is Arvind Kejriwal saying to Punjab voters, bringing his Delhi tactics to Punjab.

AFP

Sizeable crowds at his twin rallies in Bathinda and Mukhtsar Sahib districts on Monday seem to be relishing the prospect in a state known for free flow of cash and liquor before voting. Kejriwal had given similar ideas earlier to voters in Delhi.

"Badals will send their men...they will offer money. Mana mat karna. Amarinder Singh's people will come...if they don't, go to their houses and say you had been waiting and take the money. If they give Rs 3,000, say it will cost Rs 5,000 now due to inflation.

Take new notes, mind you, not the old ones. But vote for us. Dupe the Badals and Congress this time as they duped you for 15 years," Kejriwal said at Gidderbha on Monday evening. He adds his party is a pauper with nothing in its bank accounts to fight Punjab polls. Kejriwal quicks adds: "Par Sadha Wahe Guru hamare saath hai," invoking the Sikh god.

AFP

Starting with the Punjabi salutation of 'Wahe Guru Ji Da Khalsa' and 'Sasriakal', Kejriwal sticks to Hindi in his speeches here in Punjab. However, that does not dim his usual aggression.

He cites famous song line of Rockstar movie to challenge Narendra Modi and says he will tell Modi that 'Sadda Haq Ethe Rakh' if the Centre does not cooperate with a prospective AAP government in Punjab. "Our opponents say Kejriwal ladta bahut hai.

I can fall in Modi's feet too for sake of Punjab but is he does not relent, hum lad ke Punjab ka haq lenge," Kejriwal says. He goes on to read out Swiss Bank account numbers allegedly belonging to Amarinder Singh's wife and son and dares Singh to sue him. He also charges Badals of having the maximum black money but says Modi by demonetisation chose to instead put Punjab farmers in queues at time of sowing.

BCCL

The discourse is also getting personal after Kejriwal's announcement that the party's Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann will fight polls against Sukhbir Badal who countered that Kejriwal should not hide behind his proxy but fight the polls himself since he nursed CM ambitions.

"I am a self-made politician... but Sukhbir is only known as his father Prakash Singh Badal's son. Sukhbir says my political career will be finished if I fight against him...Sukhbir, your career is a gift given to you on a platter by your father.

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If that finishes, what will you do? Think about that. On one hand, Sukhbir says AAP is getting people from Delhi, now he wants Kejriwal to contest," Mann says at the Kotshmir rally in Bathinda earlier in the day. Kejriwal takes a swipe at Captain's announcement of giving a smart phone to every Punjab youth.

"Since Congress is in secret tie-up with Akali Dal, will a packet of drugs also be given along," Kejriwal asks.