Kejriwal holds massive roadshow; hits out at Modi

Varanasi: After Narendra Modi, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal today held a massive roadshow here and hit out hard at the BJP Prime Ministerial candidate for his “helicopter and corrupt politics” while claiming that both the BJP and the Congress will “disintegrate” after the May 16 results.Kejriwal said it was an election that would change the “direction and fate of the country”.Addressing a public meeting after the roadshow that continued for over five hours, Kejriwal said, “This election is being fought by both Hindus and Muslims and BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate will suffer a defeat by a margin of two lakh votes following which BJP will be finished”.He also claimed that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was losing in Amethi to AAP's Kumar Vishwas by at least one lakh votes, after which Congress will “disintegrate into pieces”.The AAP leader said that regional leaders like Mulayam Singh Yadav and Jayalalitha may try to form a government this time, but it will fall apart within one or two years.Thereafter fresh polls will take place and AAP will get a clear mandate to form the government, he said.Kejriwal's diatribe didn't spare media either for telecasting surveys showing huge win for Modi even before the elections.He also sang out a poem at the public meeting seeking harmony and brotherhood among all, after hours of slogan-shouting by his supporters throughout the route.The roadshow covered nearly ten kilometers through busiest of roads of Varanasi and brought a good part of this temple town to a halt, while people also waited for hours on the sides of his route and in their houses and shops to see Kejriwal, who kept waving through an open vehicle, as did many of his party vehicles in their motorcade.While a large number of supporters from outside Varanasi were also part of the roadshow, it attracted locals in large numbers too and minority community accounted for a significant part of the crowd.The roadshow also came across groups of BJP supporters numerous times, triggering slogan duels between two groups.The matter remained under control throughout the roadshow, which incidentally also crossed senior BJP leader Amit Shah's car at one point of time, when AAP leader Kumar Vishwas was seen telling Kejriwal about this.The city roadshow began at around 4 pm at Banaras Hindu University gate, incidentally the same venue from where Modi began his drive-through last evening and finally ended at about 9.30 pm. at Town Hall ground in busy Maidagin area, where he addressed a public meeting.At the start of the roadshow itself, Kejriwal said the BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate was only interested in “helicopter visit” and “corrupt politics”.Kejriwal, who is contesting Modi from this Lok Sabha constituency, said it was a historical election and people of Kashi will have to decide “whether they will support corrupt politics represented by Modi, or they will choose clean politics, politics of love and respect.“I know you will support our movement to clean the system.I had gone to Rohaniya and adjoining areas and got the impression that 70 per cent people will support AAP,” he said. Kejriwal alleged that Modi was doing politics even on Ganga Arti. “He spoke lies. He was given permission to perform Ganga Arti, but he did not do so.I performed Ganga arti along with my wife yesterday. Nobody prevented us,” he said.The person who is trying to exploit Ganga Arti for political mileage and politicising the issue, that person should not be supported, he said.“He came by helicopter before elections for two hours, do you think he will come here after elections.I will always be with you. I will be always there for Kashi and be with you to help you. This time helicopter politics will not work,” he said.Kejriwal also said that he was confident about his victory with a “huge margin” and accused BJP of resorting to communal and caste politics, as well as “violence and bribing of media”.Notwithstanding scorching heat, campaigning has intensified in this temple town. Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi will also hold a roadshow tomorrow to seek votes for party candidate Ajay Rai.Kejriwal has been campaigning extensively here for about one month, especially in rural and minority-dominated areas.Others present in the roadshow included senior party leaders like Manish Sisodia, Sanjay Singh, Kumar Vishwas, Shazia Ilmi, Gul Panag, Yogendra Yadav, Javed Jafri, Rakhi Birla and Jarnail Singh.