Delhi Elections: PM Modi, Arvind Kejriwal Spar Over 'AAPda'

New Delhi: While inaugurating various development projects, including 1,675 EWS flats for slum dwellers, PrimModi blew the poll bugle in a scathing attack on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Kejriwal, calling the ruling party in Delhi "aapda" (disaster) for the city.

Referring to the reports of exorbitant expenditures on the Delhi Chief Minister's residence, PM Modi said,"In the last 10 years, Delhi is surrounded by an 'AAPda'. AAP has descended as a calamity on Delhi. I could have built a 'Sheeshmahal' (glass palace) too, but I chose to build more than 4 crore homes for the poor".  

Upping the ante against Kejriwal, PM Modi further said keeping Anna Hazare at the front, a few 'kattar beimaan' people have pushed Delhi towards 'Aapda'. 'AAP aapda bankar Delhi par toot padi hai'."

PM Modi's statement pertains to an inventory released in October by the Public Works Department (PWD), listing expensive appliances and gadgets reportedly valued at several crores that were installed at the bungalow of the former Delhi Chief Minister.

'AAPda ko hatana hai, BJP ko laana hai

Delhi BJP President Virendraa Sachdeva also launched a sharp attack on Aam Aadmi Party Chief Arvind Kejriwal, accusing his government of corruption and hindering the implementation of central welfare schemes like Ayushman Bharat in the national capital.

Speaking to ANI, Sachdeva emphasized the need for a "double-engine government" under Prime Minister Narendra Modi to accelerate Delhi's development.

"The PM told today how Delhi 'AAPda' (disaster) government has looted Delhi. He also mentioned that four crore people in the country have been given 'pucca' houses. He also said that it is Modi's guarantee that every slum dweller will have a permanent house in Delhi," he said.

"He (PM Modi) said that he could also make a 'Sheesh Mahal' if he wanted to. This was a direct remark on corrupt Arvind Kejriwal who has looted Delhi. The people of Delhi have also decided that they will not tolerate 'Aapda', and will bring about a change," the Delhi BJP chief added.

"Aapda ko hatana hai, BJP ko laana hai," Sachdeva added.

Kejriwal Responds

Hitting back at PM Modi's 'AAPda' (crisis) at the Aam Aadmi Party-led Delhi government, party's national convenor Arvind Kejriwal highlighted his government's works in the national capital and said that people consider this as a 'Aashirwad' (blessing). "Jo kaam AAP Sarkar kar rahi hai use log aapda nahi aashirwad kehte hai (The work the AAP government is doing isn't a crisis; people call it a blessing)," Kejriwal said at a press conference today, adding that there are three "Aapda" (crisis) in the BJP.

"Aapda Delhi mein nahi BJP mein aayi hai (The crisis isn't in Delhi; it's within the BJP). The first crisis for the BJP is that they don't have a Chief Ministerial face. The second is that they lack a narrative -- they don't even know what issues to contest the election on. The third crisis is that they don't have an agenda for this election. These three crises are within the BJP," he said.

Speaking further, Kejriwal emphasized that over the last 10 years, the AAP government has achieved so much in education, healthcare, electricity, water, and roads that listing of these achievements could take hours.

"In contrast, the BJP government hasn't done a single thing in ten years that the Prime Minister could proudly highlight in his speeches. If they had accomplished anything, they would be showcasing it instead of criticizing the people of Delhi," Kejriwal said.

"During the 2020 elections, the Prime Minister made several promises to the people. He had assured that by 2022, every person in Delhi would have a permanent house. This was also stated in their manifesto. Today, the Prime Minister handed over the keys to 1,700 houses. This isn't the first time -- in total, they have constructed only 4,700 houses in five years. Delhi needs 1.5 million houses, yet only 4,700 have been built in five years," the AAP supremo added.

Kejriwal further claimed that in the past five years, the BJP has rendered 2,78,796 people homeless by demolishing slums.

"The Prime Minister had promised permanent housing but deceived the people. By the 2030 elections, they plan to demolish all slums in Delhi. These people are enemies of the poor. In five years, I built 530 mohalla clinics; had the PM built 5,000, he would've earned praise. I constructed five new hospitals; had he (PM) built 50, he wouldn't have needed to criticize me," he said.

The assembly elections in Delhi are due in February and the dates for the same are expected to be announced in a few days.