Aam Aadmi Party supremo launches fierce attack on the ruling party on the campaign trail in the Visavadar by-poll
NEW DELHI – In a fiery and emotionally charged campaign trail in Gujarat’s Visavadar Assembly Constituency, the National Convenor of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Arvind Kejriwal, tore into the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing it of dragging Gujarat “50 years into the past” despite ruling the state for the last 30 years.
Addressing packed poll rallies in Khadiya and Behshan villages on Monday, Kejriwal called the Visavadar by-election nothing short of a “Mahabharata”—a battle between the BJP’s money and muscle and AAP’s love and trust of the people.
“Thirty years is enough time to transform a state. But Gujarat under the BJP is suffering from poor roads, frequent power cuts, water shortages, joblessness, and crumbling infrastructure,” Kejriwal thundered. “The entire world is building world-class highways, but here it took me three hours to cover just 125 km between Rajkot and Junagadh. The roads are broken and pathetic.”
Kejriwal recounted how even in his hotel in Junagadh, power outages were frequent. He said the villages were worse off, with neither electricity nor clean water. “Talk to the youth, and they say exam papers are getting leaked. Talk to farmers and they say they don’t get fertilisers, water, or a fair price for their crops,” he said, painting a grim picture of Gujarat’s rural economy.
Participants of the polly in n Khadiya and Behshan villages listening to AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal on Monday. — CI photo
In a symbolic comparison, the former Delhi chief minister said, “Singapore became one of the most advanced nations in just 30 years. Japan rebuilt itself after WWII. However, Gujarat has taken a step backward under the BJP. What legacy does the BJP leave behind after three decades—corruption, distress, and betrayal?”
Kejriwal reserved special praise for the voters of Visavadar, saying they had shown unmatched political wisdom. “While the rest of Gujarat voted for the BJP, Visavadar has rejected them consistently for 20 years. You saw through their lies,” he said.
The by-poll has been necessitated after the previous MLA, elected on an AAP ticket, defected to the BJP—a repeat of what had earlier happened with Congress’s Harshad Ribadiya. “This is not just a betrayal of the party; this is a betrayal of people’s mandate,” Kejriwal said, slamming the BJP’s alleged tactics of horse-trading and intimidation.
To address the electorate’s concerns about repeated defections, Kejriwal introduced AAP’s candidate Gopal Italia as a “fighter who cannot be broken.” Italia, a former police officer and a founding leader of AAP in Gujarat, was praised for his honesty and years of grassroots work.
“Gopal was offered Rs 5 crore, Rs 10 crore—even Rs 20 crore—to defect. But he stood firm. If someone can turn down crores, then he truly belongs to the people,” Kejriwal said. He likened Italia’s candidature to Arjun in the Mahabharata, who chose Lord Krishna’s guidance over an army. “BJP has all the power—CBI, ED, police, money. But we have you, and we have the truth,” he declared.
Kejriwal also warned voters of possible electoral fraud. “They may cast fake votes in your name. So, reach the booth at 7 am sharp. Vote early. Don’t let them steal your mandate,” he urged.
Hitting out at the Congress, Kejriwal said, “Voting for Congress is like throwing your vote away. They’ll get 1,500 to 2,000 votes. They are the BJP’s puppet now.”
On issues like the Eco Zone policy that farmers fear will rob them of land and rights, Kejriwal said AAP had opposed it since 2016 and would continue to resist any such move. “Only AAP raised the voice of Gujarat’s farmers and only Gopal Italia is their true representative,” he said.
He concluded with a strong appeal: “Elect Gopal Italia with a big majority. Not just for him, but for every farmer, every youth, every honest person who has suffered in the last 30 years. This isn’t just an election—it’s a fight for Gujarat’s future.”
