Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday claimed the ruling BJP in Gujarat is so scared of his Aam Aadmi Party that the saffron outfit has decided to remove its state president C R Patil.
In a sharp retort, Gujarat BJP's media coordinator Yagnesh Dave asked Kejriwal to stop daydreaming and focus on himself instead of thinking about Paatil. Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) national convener Kejriwal is currently on a two-day visit to Gujarat, where the Assembly elections are due later this year.
On the second day of his visit, Kejriwal tweeted, "BJP in Gujarat is afraid of AAP. According to sources, BJP has decided to remove C R Patil as its state unit president. Is BJP this much scared of AAP?" However, BJP leader Dave in a statement said it seems Kejriwal has developed a "hobby of daydreaming". "Instead of thinking about CR Paatil, you should focus on yourself," Dave said.
Gujarat BJP spokesperson Rutvij Patel also hit out at Kejriwal and tweeted, "Revdilal ji, politics and public service can not be done as per sources. Instead of BJP, you should worry about yourself and your liquor minister (Sisodia)." Kejriwal's comments came days after two Gujarat cabinet ministers - Rajendra Trivedi and Purnesh Modi - were stripped of their revenue and road and building portfolios.
Delhi's Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia is among 15 people and entities named in an FIR registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation in connection with alleged irregularities in the implementation of the Delhi excise policy. Kejriwal has been visiting Gujarat frequently and giving various "guarantees" as part of his party's poll campaign ahead of the state Assembly elections due in December this year.
After guarantees like free electricity, freedom from "raid raaj" for businessmen, Rs 3000 per month unemployment allowance, 10 lakh government jobs and Rs 1,000 per month to women above the age of 18, Kejriwal had on Monday promised free and quality healthcare to all, like his government has ensured to the people of Delhi. The AAP leader has visited the state five times in August so far. He started the month by campaigning at Veraval in Gir Somnath district and Rajkot. During his next visit, he interacted with the trader community in Jamnagar and tribals at Bodeli in Chhota Udepur district. He later held a town hall meet in Ahmedabad, and then at Bhuj in Kutch during two separate visits.