 "AAP will win 35 out of the 40 seats in Goa: Kejriwal")
Setting eyes on the upcoming assembly polls in Goa, AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal today claimed that his party will repeat the stunning performance of Delhi in Goa assembly election next year and will win at least 35 of the 40 seats.
"AAP will spoil the prospects of both the parties (Congress and BJP). Out of the 40, we will win minimum 35 seats (in Goa Assembly elections)," Kejriwal told reporters in Vasco town after interacting with fishermen community.
The Delhi Chief Minister began his two-day visit to the state today.
On a question on the chief ministerial face of the party in Goa, he said AAP will give this responsibility to someone from the state.
"There are 20 lakh people living in the state. Goans have leadership capabilities. I am a small person here. I can't do much sitting in Delhi," he said.
"Kejriwal is not important, the party is important," he said when asked whether his image is becoming larger than AAP.
He claimed AAP will repeat in Goa the history created in Delhi as people will go for the party and reject Congress and BJP.
"We will repeat the history. The reason is that people in Goa have witnessed that BJP and Congress are two sides of the same coin, they just fight on the face, but behind that they hold secret meetings with each other. They go along very well, but people suffer," he commented.
He alleged that both Congress and BJP are "completely corrupt parties".
"People have realised that. But they had no option in the past. Now there is an option in the form of AAP," he claimed.
Kejriwal said, "AAP is not a party, it is a revolution...A revolution against corruption."
Equating problems of fishermen in Goa to that of poor people in Delhi, he said the fight of the people is for the livelihood, which is being snatched by government.
"Similar situation prevailed in Delhi when our government was formed. Poor people were fighting for their livelihood. Before the election, we had promised that we will not allow anyone's livelihood to be affected or homes to be demolished. We are fulfilling the promise. We are constructing houses for the people living in huts," he claimed.
Kejriwal will hold interactions with small hoteliers at Calangute tomorrow.
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Speaking at a gathering of fishermen community at Vasco, Kejriwal said he was "one-fourth Chief Minister" of a half state.
"Delhi is a half state. I am one-fourth Chief Minister of a half state. I am not a complete Chief Minister. But despite this, if anyone tries to demolish even a hut, we stop it. In last one and a half years we have not allowed even a single hut to be demolished," he said.
"AAP is not a party of rich people, it is a party of poor people....We were voted to power by poor and middle class. Rich people vote for Congress and BJP," he said.
"Media was asking me who would be the AAP's Chief Minister (if it wins) in Goa. Goa's Chief Minister will be a common man of Goa," Kejriwal said.
If a common man like him could become the CM of Delhi, it could happen in Goa too, he added.
Calling corruption as Goa's biggest problem, he alleged both BJP and Congress had "looted the state".
The AAP leader also tried to tap into anxiety about supposed erosion of local culture. "There is a slow assault on Goan traditions. The big projects that are taking shape in the state are not for Goans. They are for the people from outside. If AAP comes to power, not a single project would be allowed without taking people of Goa into confidence," he said.
Congress and BJP leaders are adversaries only in public and buddies in private, he claimed.
"As I am the Chief Minister of Delhi, I often get invited to lunch or dinner at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. There I see Congress and BJP leaders. You can see them and judge how thick friends they are. In public, they just pretend to be each other's enemy," he said.
