AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal takes dig at BJP, Congress, says both parties should declare alliance

AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal on Jan 4 said the Congress and the BJP should formally declare their alliance, amid the two opposition parties sharpening their attacks on the former chief minister ahead of the Delhi Assembly polls.

Kejriwal also took a dig at the Congress, saying barring a few mediapersons, people had stopped taking the party "seriously".

He alleged a "covert, behind-the-scenes" collaboration between the two parties for the assembly polls.

Relations between AAP and the Congress, both partners in the opposition INDIA bloc, soured after the two sides failed to seal an alliance for the Haryana elections.

AAP has also demanded action against senior Congress leader Ajay Maken for allegedly calling Kejriwal "anti-national" and threatened to approach other parties of the INDIA bloc for removing the grand old party from the grouping.

Earlier on Jan 4, some women protested outside Kejriwal's Firozshah Road residence, demanding payment of a monthly honorarium of Rs 1,000 in Punjab, which is also governed by AAP.

In a press conference, Kejriwal claimed the protesting women were from the Congress and the BJP.

"These women belong to the Congress and the BJP, not Punjab. All women in Punjab stand with AAP. They trust us," he asserted.

He further said, "The Congress and the BJP should officially declare that they are contesting the elections against AAP in an alliance. This covert, behind-the-scenes collaboration is unacceptable."

Attacking the BJP, Kejriwal said the party had no chief ministerial face or agenda and its leaders were trying to win the Delhi polls by abusing him in the absence of any achievement that they could talk about.

Now, the people of Delhi will decide whether they want those who work or those who only believe in abusing, he said.

"We are presenting our track record of 10 years and our plan for the next five while the BJP offers nothing but abuses," Kejriwal charged.

Elections to the 70-member Delhi Assembly are due in February.

AAP has already announced all its candidates while the Congress and the BJP have so far declared nominees for 48 and 29 seats, respectively.

(PTI)