Anti -corruption crusader and politician Arvind Kejriwal today suspended his protests seeking the resignation of Law Minister Salman Khurshid and postponed his next expose of a prominent person by a day.
He, however, promised to take the protests to Khurshid’s Parliamentary constituency of Farukkabad in Uttar Pradesh on November 1 and later to all 17 districts where equipment for disabled were supposed to have been given by Khurshid's NGO Dr Zakir Hussain Memorial Trust in 2009-10.
The move seen as a tactical retreat by Kejriwal and his newly formed yet unnamed party comes even as all parties have closed ranks against Kejriwal and his name- and -shame brand of politics.
Congress leaders backing Khurshid, were joined today by critics in Janata Dal U Sharad yadav and even the Left who criticised Kejriwal for doubting the investigations being conducted by the Uttar Pradesh Government into Khurshid's NGO.
BJP on the other hand is facing the threat of a major expose on its president Nitin Gadkari whom Kejriwal named today as his next target.
While unveiling his plan of action after the temporary suspension of the anti -Khurshid agitation, Kejriwal said that the expose of a corrupt person he had promised to make on October 16 may now have to be postponed by a day.
He mentioned Gadkari but also added that he had several persons before him and he had to study them all closely and would need another day.
Kejriwal has been unsparing against every single party, thus leaving little scope for any political friends for him. While BJP is expected to be his next target, he has insinuated that the Samajwadi Party Government in Uttar Pradesh is likely to cover up the truth in the Khurshid NGO case as a quid pro quo for protecting Mulayam Singh Yadav in the Disproportionate Assets case.
For Kejriwal the suspension of the protest seemed part of a game plan rather than a retreat. He had told Business Standard two days ago in an interview that he did not intend to continue sitting indefinitely and pleading with the Government on Khurshid. Whether they resign or not we have made our point. I will wait for a couple of days and then move on to other issues,’’ he had said.
Today he made it clear that the issue would remain a sub text of their future political journey and it would be their stick to beat both the Congress and the regional parties in Uttar Pradesh.
Said Kejriwal today: What did we achieve in four days? We achieved a lot.
In four days we have stripped Khurshid naked before the nation, we have stripped the Congress, the Opposition and Samajwadi Party . All have been exposed. Now do you want to sit here and plead with an insensitive Prime Minister for a hearing or go and complain to the people in Farukkabad?
While appearing to be isolated, as he called for volunteers to sign up to join the protests against Khurshid in Uttar Pradesh, he seemed to be working to a plan, that his opposition seems to be clueless about.
Action for the coming few days is already panned. On October 17, Kejriwal and co would make their revelations on a prominent leader presu,med to be Nitin Gadkari. On October 31, the activists would join a massive a farmers agitation in Manesar and hear farmers speak of land deals related to Robert Vadra, DLF and Reliance and other big players…
While that keeps the fire of his movement burning , on November 1, they would be marching through Farrukkabad with disabled people taking the battle with Khurshid to his constituency.
Kejriwal said that the disabled people in each district based on the list of such people with the district disability officer would be called and brought before the people to say whether they ever received any help from Khurshid's NGO.
Congress leaders tried to defend Khurshid today, some in the process causing embarrassment to the party. Union Steel Minister Beni Prasad Verma today said a man like Salman Khurshid will not do any wrong for Rs 71 lakh, which is a "very small amount" for a Central Minister. If it had been Rs 71 crore I would have been worried.’’ He said.
Verma was commenting on the alleged misappropriation of funds by Khurshid’s trust. In a press conference yesterday, Khurshid had rejected the allegation and had offered himself to any probe.
AICC leader Digvijay Singh criticised Kejriwal’s allegation of a "quid pro quo" between Congress and Samajwadi Party . "It seems Kejriwal wants that the investigation should be carried out the way he decides...That he should be given the charge of the investigation.’’ He said.