BJP’s Delhi CM tit-for-tat over AAP’s Gujarat political plans

Mumbai: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is under fire from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) even as the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor has sounded the bugle for a no holds barred political battle in the forthcoming Gujarat Assembly elections.

A source familiar with the development said, “The lieutenant governor’s office has pulled up the Delhi CM for his unusual practice of sending across important files for opinions and clearance without his duly attested signature. Another aspect that is distinctly noticeable in his political modus operandi is that he is a chief minister without any portfolio. The combined effect of this political strategy seems to be aimed at absolving him of any personal responsibility if his government’s decisions, such as the recent withdrawal of excise policy, fall foul of the law.”

The source, however, admitted that the current political tirade launched against the Delhi CM is a result of the AAP’s strong political focus to upset the BJP applecart in Gujarat. Kejriwal has already announced his plans to launch an all-out election campaign to dislodge the BJP from power in the neighbouring state.Another source said, “In the previous edition of the state assemblies in Gujarat, the BJP had been on the back foot due to the Congress party’s election strategies, combined with the dominant Patel community’s Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) movement. Although the BJP retained power in Gujarat, the number of seats it held fell below the 100- MLA mark.” The BJP has successfully engineered a defection in the Congress party by welcoming former PAAS leader, Hardik Patel, into its ranks. However, the AAP had a good showing in the 2021 civic body elections of Surat, Rajkot and Ahmedabad municipal corporations. It managed to bag 27, 13 and 16 councillor seats in the bodies respectively, and grabbed second place behind the BJP in polls.

The party’s excellent performance in its debut Gujarat polls has, in all likelihood, prompted Kejriwal to launch a political offensive in the forthcoming state assembly polls, added the source. An irked BJP has, in turn, focussed its attention on Kejriwal in Delhi in a bid to call him out over the now withdrawn controversial excise policy and allegations of corruption in government school constructions.