 "Kejriwal, Mann launch AAP's LS poll campaign in Delhi, lashes out at Centre")
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann on Friday launched the AAP's Lok Sabha elections campaign with the slogan "Sansad mein bhi Kejriwal, toh Dilli hogi aur khush haal".
The AAP is a member of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc, which has pitted itself against the BJP for the Lok Sabha polls that are likely in April-May.
Launching the campaign at the AAP's headquarters in the national capital, Kejriwal lashed out at the BJP, the Centre and the Delhi Lt Governor for allegedly stalling the works of his government and appealed to the people to give their blessings by ensuring victory for all seven candidates of the AAP-Congress combine in Delhi.
The AAP is contesting from four of Delhi's seven Lok Sabha seats while the Congress will field candidates from three.
"I have made all efforts to serve the people of Delhi who are my family, without considering myself as the chief minister," Kejriwal, the AAP's national convenor, said.
"Our slogan is 'Sansad mein bhi Kejriwal, toh Dilli hogi aur khush haal (Delhi will be more prosperous with Kejriwal in Parliament)'," Kejriwal said and asked the people to strengthen him by sending seven INDIA bloc MPs to the Lok Sabha to ensure no one dares to stall his government's works.
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Kejriwal alleged that the BJP-led Centre, through the Lt Governor, stalls every project launched by the AAP government.
"They hate you because you elected and brought an ordinary man to power in Delhi. They demolished Mohalla Clinics with bulldozers, they stopped door-to-door ration delivery, tests and medicines in hospitals," he alleged.
The AAP chief said he is fighting alone as a "son" of Delhi against the BJP, Lt Governor and the Centre, and asserted that he will keep serving the people despite all hurdles.
Mann claimed his state will witness a 13-0 sweep for the AAP as he also accused the Centre of obstructing the Kejriwal government's works in Delhi and withholding Punjab's funds.
"No one will dare to stop Punjab's funds and works in Delhi if the AAP has a good number of MPs in the Lok Sabha," he said.
Following the campaign launch, the BJP's Delhi chief Virendra Sachdeva hit back and said the AAP's correct slogan would be "nine-year rule of Kejriwal marked by loot and corruption, rendering Delhi miserable".
"The people of Delhi, Punjab and Gujarat will reject Kejriwal in such a way that even the AAP's national status will be snatched," he said.
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It is surprising that despite a massive mandate in the Delhi Assembly, the AAP has been unable to muster the courage to contest parliamentary elections from all seven seats in the national capital on its own, Sachdeva said.
The AAP has entered into a seat-share arrangement with the Congress for Delhi, Gujarat and Haryana. In Punjab, both parties have decided to contest the polls independently.
The AAP will contest from Bharuch and Jamnagar in Gujarat and Kurukshetra in Haryana under the agreement with the Congress.
Separately, the AAP has also declared candidates from the Guwahati, Dibrugarh and the Sonitpur constituencies in Assam.