Delhi Assembly Elections 2025: AAP refused central assistance for fear credit would go to PM Modi: Rajnath

New Delhi: The AAP dispensation in Delhi refused central assistance out of fear that the credit would go to the Narendra Modi-led Union government, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh claimed on Sunday.

Speaking at an election rally in Rajendra Nagar, the veteran leader said India's economy had grown under the BJP government but Delhi did not benefit from it.

"The BJP has not got an opportunity to serve Delhi in a long time… Delhi did not get the development it deserves," Singh said.

India has been on a path of development under the Modi government. India was the 11th largest economy in 2014. Today, it is the fifth largest, he added.

"When India is developing under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, why should Delhi be left behind? The city government does not take the Centre's help. We don't discriminate against any state but the (Delhi) chief minister is afraid that Modi ji will get the credit," he said.

Attacking former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, the defence minister alleged that he did not resign even when he was sent to jail in the liquor policy case.

Kejriwal -- who was part of the India Against Corruption movement -- went against the wishes of Anna Hazare to form a political party, he claimed.

"When the anti-corruption agitation was going on under Anna Hazare's leadership, they said they would not form a political party... Anna Hazare kept saying 'don't do this, don't break the people's trust'..." Singh said.

He also accused the AAP supremo of not keeping his promises.

While claiming that the Congress had no existence in Delhi's politics, Singh said, "Rahul Gandhi claimed he would die but not compromise with the BJP... Did any one ask you to compromise with the BJP?" Slamming Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, the veteran BJP leader said, "He made certain remarks about the Maha Kumbh... Can he make such remarks against other religions?" Singh also declared that the BJP would continue all schemes implemented by the AAP-led Delhi government if it assumed power and urged the people to give the saffron party a chance to govern the national capital.

"I am here to appeal to you, save Delhi. What has the AAP government done to it?" Singh added.

Elections to the 70-member Delhi Assembly will be held on February 5, and the votes counted on February 8.

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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