The AAP had in a stunning electoral debut won 28 seats in Delhi Assembly elections in December last year and a number of senior party leaders said they will spring a “surprise” in the Lok Sabha polls as well.
Rai, however, refused to hazard a guess about number of seats AAP would win, saying the party's struggle will go on even if it does not perform well. The party was hoping to perform well in Punjab, Haryana and Delhi.
“Our aim is to ensure that voice of honest politics reaches the Parliament. It does not matter whether we win 10 seats or 30 seats. We will go there and try to build pressure to bring systemic changes.”
Last week, CPI(M) leader Prakash Karat had said that a repeat of the 1996-like situation was possible and the Congress may be forced to support a government of secular parties at the Centre to keep the BJP out of power. The front of non-Congress, non-BJP parties would be able to cobble up a majority with outside support from Congress, he said.
Yesterday, Bahujan Samaj Party leader Mayawati said her party will not join any front and her numbers will be enough to galvanise secular forces around her. Earlier this month, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi has ruled out extending supporting a Third Front government saying he was confident that Congress will have the numbers to form UPA III.
But Mulayam hoped that Congress would support a Third Front government. Rai said Kejriwal was confident of winning the “mega contest” against BJP's Narendra Modi in Varanasi as there has been a “yearning for change” across the temple town.
“People want to see change in Varanasi. They have been supporting BJP and Congress for last so many decades but the elected representatives never cared for the city and that is why there has been a groundswell of support for AAP,” Rai, who was here for campaigning, said.
The presence of Modi and Kejriwal has made the contest one of the most keenly watch fights of the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.
“Arvind Kejriwal has come out as an honest and credible face because of which he has been receiving massive support across Varanasi. This a fight of two ideologies. Kejriwal represents honest politics while Modi backs corruption and interests of big corporate.
“If Kejriwal wins, then honest politics will move forward while if Modi emerges victorious, the politics of hatred, religion and corruption will continue,” he alleged.
