New Delhi: Days after war of words between Congress & Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) spokespersons over ‘alliance break-up’ for Lok Sabha polls in national capital, a fresh ‘tussle’ erupted between the two parties over poll-bound Chhattisgarh.
The fresh strain in ties between two crucial ‘allies’ of I.N.D.I.A came on back of AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal’s election campaign in Chhattisgarh.
Kejriwal, while addressing a public rally in poll-bound Chhattisgarh on Saturday, lamented the ‘terrible plight’ of government-run schools in the Congress-ruled state and also pitched for Delhi model of governance.
As Kejriwal highlighted perilous state of govt run schools in Chhattishgarh, this invited bitter barb from Congress national spokesperson Pawan Khera.
Khera took to Twitter and asked the AAP leadership to ‘look within’ before pointing fingers at other states while also stated that works of Bhupesh Baghel govt can be compared with its predecessor Raman Singh govt and not AAP.
Why go to Raipur? Performance of our Chattisgarh govt will be compared with the previous Raman Singh govt.
Let us choose a sector of your choice and compare the performance of Congress government in Delhi vs your govt here.
Ready for a debate?रायपुर की उड़ान भरने से पहले… https://t.co/0wqOaOdOJO
— Pawan Khera 🇮🇳 (@Pawankhera) August 19, 2023
He also handed over a challenge to Kejriwal and called for a debate on who governed Delhi better – AAP govt or previous Congress dispensation.
AAP is yet to reply to Khera’s ‘debate challenge’ but Kejriwal’s rousing address to people of Chhattisgarh has already stirred up hornet’s nest.
How Kejriwal lambasted Cong govt
Arvind Kejriwal, speaking to a large gathering of people, announced list of guarantees if his party is voted to power in the state. From promising 300 units electricity to waiving off pending power bills to Mohalla clinics in every village to Rs 1,000 allowance to all women, Kejriwal promised many guarantees to people.
“Kejriwal ki guarantee means we will go to any stretch to fulfill our poll promises,” he said to loud cheers of people.
While hardselling Delhi model of governance, Kejriwal didn’t hold back in lambasting Bhupesh Baghel-led Congress govt in the state. He said that state govt tried to stall his campaign by cancelling big venues and they must also cancel this govt for their better future.
VIDEO | “I was reading a report, government schools in Chhattisgarh are in terrible condition. However, look at the condition of government schools in Delhi. For the first time since Independence, a government has come that is doing so much for the education sector,” says Delhi… pic.twitter.com/Wvi3WAkcrJ
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 19, 2023
Citing a report on govt-run schools in the state, he said that it was time for people to give AAP model a chance for ‘revolutionizing’ education in the state.
“It has been 76 years since India got its independence, but I have not seen a single party apart from AAP which says it will build schools and hospitals. We are not politicians and we didn’t enter politics to make money,” he said in the poll-bound state.
It may be noted that AAP contested elections in Chhattisgarh in 2018 and fielded candidates in 85 of 90 constituencies but failed to make a mark.
