Gautam Gambhir 'excited' as Delhi elections are announced; takes on old foe Kejriwal

The voting for assembly polls in Delhi will be held on February 8, while the counting of votes will be held on February 11, the Election Commission announced on Monday. BJP MP from East Delhi Gautam Gambhir speaking about the upcoming elections said that he is excited because "Delhi needs BJP". He also said that the national capital will get a "better government" once BJP comes to power.

'I am very confident and very excited' 

Speaking to news agency ANI, minutes after the EC announced the polling dates, Gambhir said, "I am excited about it because I know that Delhi needs BJP and it's a desperate situation. On 12th February, you will see BJP ruling Delhi again. I am very confident and very excited about it that we'll get BJP to form the government in Delhi." Gambhir added that he is looking forward to the elections because "the people of Delhi are desperate and the party will be able to fulfil all the promises which have been made in the past." 

The BJP MP accepted that it will be a "tough fight" between the BJP and the AAP but exuded confidence in his party to emerge victorious. "Five years ago, when Kejriwal came to power, there was a lot of hope that he will deliver, but he has to fight this election on performance and I am 100% sure that there is no performance he can fight on. Our senior leadership has also shown that we deliver on what we promise, be it Article 370 or the CAA," Gambhir said.

'All those are fake promises'

"For me, the agenda is very simple and it will be very simple, that you make promises which can be fulfilled. You don't say we will make Delhi like London, Paris, New York, we will open 5000 schools, colleges, hostels. All those are fake promises. Kejriwal's promises were all political gimmicks. We will try to make Delhi a better place to live in, where we can get better air quality and water, and also the better infrastructure for people of Delhi."

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The battle for Delhi is a war for Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which is seeking re-election after a thumping victory in 2015 when the party won 67 of 70 seats in the Assembly. Kejriwal, who has sought to keep the focus of the electoral battle on his government’s development works such as the Mohalla clinics and model schools, had earlier said his party was eyeing all 70 seats. As far as the BJP is concerned, the party also launched its campaign last month with star campaigner Prime Minister Narendra Modi leading a rally at the Ramlila Maidan.

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