Arvind Kejriwal returns to home turf

Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal returned to his home turf on the final day of campaigning for Saturday’s polls, and targeted nearly two dozen middle and lower-middle class neighbourhoods in his New Delhi Assembly constituency. 

“We are confident that we will win this election like the last time,” said Kejriwal, as he set off for his six-hour long campaign trail that began from Valmiki Basti, Mandir Marg at 11.15 am.
A crowd gathered in his support at Palika Dham where most of the people are sanitation workers.

Some women residents told the AAP leader that bribes are paid for the sake of a government job in the New Delhi Municipal Council while making an appeal for more creating employment opportunity in the local civic body.    

“We will certainly look into it. But first, we will ensure that nobody asks for a bribe,” Kejriwal said.

He went to interiors of several slums before landing at a market in BK Dutt Colony, from where he made his first vote appeal on a microphone. “You wrote history in the last election. You defeated the person who had been chief minister for 15 years,” Kejriwal said, highlighting the achievements of his short-lived government.

In a mega political bender, the AAP leader had defeated three-time chief minister Sheila Dikshit in December 2013 Assembly elections.

“I have been selfless in my fight against corruption. Have left all the posts to contest to reach here,” Kejriwal told reporters. 

In the Mahabharata, Duryodhana had demanded soldiers from Shri Krishna, while Arjun had just asked for Shri Krishna's assistance. Today, BJP has the entire administrative apparatus working in their favour. And we have God with us,” he said.

“Polls in the public domain are clearly showing that we will win hands down this time,” the AAP chief told voters at the roadshow.

The former chief minister’s campaign was effectively managed an army of volunteers who waited in anticipation at scheduled routes.

Their work entailed ushering people out of their homes and leading the way into slums and government residential colonies.   

Addressing a gathering at Metrological Housing Society, Kejriwal said, “Thank you for coming out of your homes. I have full faith that you will support us again. I am leaving you with a responsibility – tell your people that not a single vote should go to the BJP and Congress.”
“You have 48 hours. Ask your relatives and friends living in other parts of Delhi to vote for us,” he added.