New Delhi: Leaders and politicians sitting in Parliament and state Assemblies, with a few exceptions, were no less than terrorists while the biggest national parties were being "run by the mafia", Aam Aadmi Party founder Arvind Kejriwal charged yesterday.
"They (politicians) have looted iron ore; there is the 2G scam, the coal scam, whose files are now missing, there is the Adarsh scam, the files related to which have been burnt.
"These people (politicians) have connived with power companies and increased tariffs. Now, the common man is burdened by inflation. Are our politicians any less than terrorists... Both Congress and BJP are controlled by mafia," Kejriwal said.
Accusing Congress and BJP of being hand in glove in Delhi, Kejriwal said that before AAP was formed, the two parties were having a good time, "just like husband and wife".
"BJP has been fielding weak candidates against (Delhi CM Sheila Dixit) for the last 15 years, but when I announced my candidature, the party said it would be fielding actress Kirron Kher or Kiran Bedi against me... What does it suggest," he questioned.
Kejriwal, however, rubbished reports of former IPS officer Bedi contesting against him, saying she has clarified that she doesn't want to join politics.
Kejriwal is contesting against Dikshit for the New Delhi Assembly seat.
"(Kiran Bedi) is like my elder sister. Last year, I had repeatedly asked her to join AAP, but she refused saying she doesn't want to join politics.
"She wants to fight from the outside, like Annaji (Anna Hazare). With our open hearts, we would like to call her to contest from AAP and become our Chief Minister," Kejriwal said.
Kejriwal rejected talk of any rift between him and anti- corruption activist Hazare, saying there was no more than a mere difference of opinion between them.
He said the aim of his party was to create a positive and honest image of a politician as the perception was that politics was the work of 'goondas' and "duplicitous people".
He cautioned voters against backing Congress or BJP candidates saying that the situation would become worse for the common man if either of the two parties came to power.
"We (AAP) are providing an option to the people of Delhi. We are not contesting for ourselves but for them. They will have to think... If BJP or Congress wins, then the situation is going to be worse," Kejriwal said.
Questioning BJP's intent on reducing power tariffs, he alleged that the party had kept quiet when the ruling Congress had rejected the 2010 order by the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission to reduce tariff by 27 per cent.
He also gave an assurance that if AAP were to be voted to power, then his government would provide 20,000 litres of free water every month to the poor and middle class people.
He asked voters to not be taken in by Gujarat CM Narendra Modi's face on BJP posters, saying, "BJP in Delhi is leaderless and they are using Modi's face for the election. If they vote for BJP then people should remember they will be governed by Vijay Goel and not Modi."
