Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday kicked off the Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) campaign in Karnataka and said his party will form its third government in the southern state after being elected to power in Delhi and Punjab.
Speaking at a rally at National College grounds, Kejriwal sought the support of farmer organisations to topple the “40% government”, a reference to the corruption allegations hurled at the BJP government by the Karnataka State Contractors' Association.
"We have to close the 20% and 40% commission accounts of these governments," Kejriwal said, adding that a corruption-free government could offer several services for free to the people.
“Despite economic hardships faced in the last few years, five things are provided free for the people of Delhi - education, healthcare, power, water and transportation for women,” he said. "How did we do it? It is because we are honest. We save money," he said.
He recalled the Lakhimpur violence and an attack on his official residence at New Delhi as incidents that "hurt him" over the last few days. “These goons then joined a party. All goons go to one party," he said, to which the audience responded saying 'BJP'.
The BJP, he said, welcomed rapists and goons into their fold. "AAP, however, is a party of gentlemen, patriots and honest people," he said.
Criticising instances of rioting reported in different parts of the country, the AAP leader said that people wanted to live in peace. "If you want riots, vote for them. If you want schools, vote for me," he said.
Farmer leader Kodihalli Chandrashekar joined AAP during the rally. He had earlier announced that the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha would strive to ensure that AAP emerged victorious in the next election.
Earlier this month, former Bengaluru Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao also joined AAP.
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