Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann during a public meeting, at Netrang in Bharuch district on Sunday.
Credit: PTI Photo
Ahmedabad: Delhi chief minister and Aam Aadmi Party's national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday declared party's jailed legislator and tribal leader Chaitar Vasava will be contesting Lok Sabha polls from Bharuch seat. Kejriwal, who has expressed apprehensions of his own arrest by Enforcement Directorate in the alleged excise policy scam, also termed Vasava, his wife and others' arrests as an "insult" of tribal community.
"Friends, I want to announce that in the coming Lok Sabha election, Chaitar Vasava will be contesting from Bharuch seat as AAP candidate," Kejriwal said while addressing a public gathering at Netrang, a tribal dominated region, in Bharuch district. He was accompanied by Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann and other leaders.
"Entire Gujarat is standing behind Chaitar Vasava. I am going to meet him in jail tomorrow and will convey your message to him. This is not a fight of Chaitar Vasava alone. It is a fight for your respect, honour...this the fight for respect and honour of entire tribal community," Kejriwal said while adding, "Today, if you remain silent and do nothing, it will encourage BJP to crush the rise of tribal youth tomorrow. We can't keep mum...we will have to stand up and send a message to BJP that their injustice will not be tolerated."
The Delhi CM urged the people, who had turned in large numbers, to "avenge" the insult by defeating BJP. He termed the arrest of Vasava's wife Shakuntala as an arrest of "daughter-in-law of the community." He said that AAP will be engaging "most senior and expensive lawyers" to get Shakuntala's bail which is coming up for hearing later this month.
Kejriwal has announced to meet Vasava, an MLA from Dediapada in Chhot Udepur, on Monday in Rajpipla jail where he is lodged following his formal arrest last month. On November 2, forest officials registered an FIR with Dediapada police station against Vasava, his wife Shakuntala, his personal assistant and a farmer Ramesh for rioting, extortion, assault and threatening a public servant in discharging his duty among other charges.
AAP leaders including Kejriwal have alleged that Vasava was being targeted for refusing to join BJP. The party has repeatedly alleged that being a popular MLA Vasava can defeat BJP in Bharuch. Vasava is one of the five AAP leaders who won Assembly polls held in December 2022.