Don’t trust backstabber AAP: Modi to Delhi voters

Girja Shankar Kaura

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 31

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today hit out at the Aam Aadmi Party, calling it a “backstabber” and urged Delhi voters not to repeat the “mistake” of voting for the Arvind Kejriwal-led party.
Modi, while addressing a rally in Karkardooma (Vishwas Nagar) in East Delhi, sought a clear mandate for the BJP, which fell short of a majority in the 2013 elections, and asserted his party would provide a clean and stable government.
The Prime Minister pointed out that Delhi was pushed into uncertainty for an entire year because of AAP, but people punished the party by electing all seven Lok Sabha  MPs from the BJP.
“A year ago people of Delhi voted with some dreams. But those very people betrayed you, led you to instability,” he said. Modi, without naming AAP, made fun of its performance in the Lok Sabha elections and said the party had “created a world record in forfeiting deposits”.
“The very people you voted for the last time stabbed you in the back. They shattered your dreams and destroyed Delhi. You gave them a befitting punishment in the Lok Sabha elections. People do not repeat their mistakes again,” Modi said, adding AAP would not be able to hoodwink the Delhi electorate the second time. “Delhi won’t vote for betrayers,” he added.
Kejriwal had formed the government in Delhi after the December 2013 Assembly polls but resigned as Chief Minister over the Lokpal Bill after 49 days in power.
Modi, who shared the stage with BJP president Amit Shah and party’s chief ministerial candidate Kiran Bedi, asked people to vote for a BJP government as it could work in tandem with the Centre.
“Elect a government with whom I can work shoulder to shoulder towards making a positive difference in your lives,” he said.
The Prime Minister said he had come to reinstate the pride of Delhi and repair the damage done in the past 15 years.
Calling Delhi the face of India, Modi said this election would decide how the country was seen at the global stage. “There is no better place than Delhi for India's identity.” The entire world was watching the Delhi polls, he said.
“If India needs to be introduced to the world, then Delhi is the best place to showcase. All events in the capital have an imprint on not only the country but the entire world. It represents India,” he said.
The Prime Minister said the BJP had emerged as the largest party in the
last Assembly elections. “Give us full majority this time,” he said.