Beware of Kejriwal, says Capt; Sukhbir asks people to make ‘topiwalas’ run away

The statements are significant because both Congress and SAD have repeatedly asserted that the 2017 polls will be a direct contest between the two parties and AAP, “with no political base in the state”, would be nowhere in the competition.

Parkash and Sukhbir Singh Badal at the SAD rally in Muktsar. Gurmeet Singh

Raising the pitch for the 2017 Assembly polls, Congress and the ruling SAD hit out at Delhi CM and AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal during their conferences at the Maghi Mela Thursday. While state Congress chief Captain Amarinder Singh asked people to “beware of Kejriwal”, deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal told voters “make these topiwalas run away and give us a chance to make a hattrick.” CM Parkash Singh Badal, too, hit out at the AAP leader saying, “This Kejriwal will only fool you.”

The statements are significant because both Congress and SAD have repeatedly asserted that the 2017 polls will be a direct contest between the two parties and AAP, “with no political base in the state”, would be nowhere in the competition.

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Pretending to forget the Delhi CM’s name, Amarinder said: “What is the name of that topiwala whose posters are all over the state? Oh yes, he is Kejriwal. Ask your children not to fall in the trap of his party as he is luring the young more.”

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Accusing the CM of making false promises, Amarinder said, “When Kejriwal was struggling against corruption with Anna Hazare, he had said he would never form a political party and contest an election. One can see whether he kept his word. He made tall promises before Delhi polls. He promised free water, power and what not. Now he is blaming the Modi government for not fulfiling promises.”

While former PPCC chief Partap Singh Bajwa said that party workers need to work hard, like their counterparts in the “tiny party” (read AAP), Amarinder said that instead of organising big rallies, they should focus on village-level meetings— which AAP did before Maghi Mela. “I will go to villages and listen to each villager. Big rallies will be organised only when required,” he said.

At the SAD rally, Sukhbir hit out at Kejriwal’s statements on controlling the drug menace in the state. “You (Kejriwal) are talking about controlling the drug menace. First control the addiction problem of your MP Bhagwant Mann and then talk.”

While the AAP pandal at the Mela was overflowing, Congress filled its seats with great difficulty. The SAD venue was half empty through the day.

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