Delhi Assembly Elections 2025 | Kejriwal came in small car but ended up in 'sheesh mahal': Rahul's dig at AAP's clean politics claim

New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday hit out at AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal, accusing him of lying and making false promises and said that the man who came in a small car promising to change politics ended up in the "sheesh mahal" parking lot.

Launching a stinging attack on the former Delhi chief minister, Gandhi alleged that he did nothing for the people of the national capital in the past 10 years.

The former Congress chief also slammed the BJP, accusing it of spreading hatred and violence in society and said it is only the Congress that talks of giving "bhaagidaari" (share) and equal rights to all irrespective of caste, creed or religion.

Gandhi showed a picture of 'Team Kejriwal', saying none of his 'Navratans' (nine gems) are from the OBCs, minorities, Dalits and tribals. All belong to the upper castes, he said.

"Kejriwal had claimed to bring a change in Delhi politics. But the biggest ever corruption -- liquor scam -- was done by Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia. Five years ago, he said that he would take a dip in Yamuna and drink its water. Forget about Yamuna water, you should drink the water made available to jhuggis here," he said.

"Your (Kejriwal's) words are hollow. He said he will protect the Dalits and minorities but I want to ask you who is standing with you? The Congress or Kejriwal?" the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha asked at the rally.

Asserting that the Delhi Assembly election was not an "opportunistic battle' for his party, Gandhi said the Congress protects the Constitution and Ambedkar's thoughts.

"The truth is that when Kejriwal came, he wanted to do a new type of politics. He climbed an electric pole in a small car. He came in a Wagon-R car and went straight in the 'sheesh mahal' parking lot," Gandhi alleged.

The political rivals of AAP are accusing it of corruption by referring to the exorbitant cost incurred in the renovation of the official bungalow where Kejriwal resided when he was the Delhi chief minister.

Claiming that Kejriwal did nothing except indulge in corruption and giving pollution to the people of Delhi, Gandhi said, "He finished all the good work done by Sheila (Dikshit) ji. He only speaks lies. I have been in politics since 2004, but I accomplish whatever I say and I talk the truth. You show me one speech where I have made false promises. I will do what is possible, but I will not make false promises." Seeking to strike an emotional chord with the people in Madipur, Gandhi said, "My ties with you are not 10 years old. This is a relation of love and not of politics. The way I see and love my sister and mother, I see you the same way and I cannot lie before you." He said the Congress does not want a government of billionaires, but one which respects the poor. "They should get 'bhaagidari' in the country," the senior Congress leader said.

Gandhi also trained his guns on the BJP and RSS, saying a battle of ideologies has been going on. The Constitution, the Congress, brotherhood, unity, and love are on one side and the BJP, RSS, hatred and violence on the other, he said.

He claimed that even though it is clearly stated in the Constitution that all are equal and there should be brotherhood, the BJP is spreading violence and hatred. "Brothers are made to fight with each other, one caste is pitted against the other and one language against the other." Referring to his cross-country marches, Gandhi said, "We walked 4,000 km and only stated that 'nafrat ke bazaar mein mohabbat ki dukaan kholni hai' (want to open a shop of love in the market of hate) and said this country cannot move forward with violence, hatred." "But, the BJP/RSS always tries to divert your attention all the time and not talk of your issues. Their motto is to spread hatred and divert people's attention and GST and people's wealth is handed over to richest billionaires," he alleged.

Claiming that the Narendra Modi government has waived Rs 16 lakh crore loans of 25 top industrialists, Gandhi said, "I want to ask Modi ji how much loans of Delhi's students, businessmen, housewives has he waived." Claiming that there are no jobs, he said PM Modi keeps talking of his 'Mann ki Baat' but the Congress talks of people's issues.

Promising that the Congress will hold a caste survey in Delhi and across the country, he said the backwards, tribals and minorities comprise 90 per cent of the population with at least 50 per cent of it being Backwards, 15 per cent Dalits, 15 per cent minorities and 8 per cent tribals. But they are not properly represented and neither are they given any share, Gandhi said.

"You may have got representation, but you have not got 'bhaagidaari' in India," he told the rally.

Taking a dig at Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharama ahead of the Union Budget, Gandhi said, "You will see the finance minister will go (to parliament) with a briefcase, but you will not see a single Dalit, tribals, backward or minority in the picture. Of the 90 officers who made the budget, only three are from OBC." Claiming that decisions of a total of Rs 6.10 out of every Rs 100 distributed will be taken by officers of OBCs, Dalits, tribals, and minorities, he said, "That is why we have said we will conduct a case survey, but Narendra Modi will not be able to do this."

Delhi Assembly Election 2025 | The first of two state assembly polls this year sees a three-way contest between AAP, Congress, and BJP in the nation's capital. AAP decided to contest the polls alone, causing rumours of a rift in I.N.D.I.A. BJP, meanwhile, is hoping the liquor excise policy scam and pollution in Delhi will give the saffron party an edge over AAP. Kejriwal, on the other hand, has different plans with his demand for reservations for Delhi Jats. Congress will also be looking to make its presence felt and has not held back from attacking its own alliance partner. Check live updates and track the latest coverage, live news, in-depth opinions, and analyses only on Deccan Herald.

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