 "Prakash Javadekar")
The Delhi Assembly election will be fought on the basis of performance and "not just hollow talk and certainly not lies,", Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said on Monday while launching a fresh attack on Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
The BJP leader was responding to a query on Kejriwal's one-line tweet in Hindi, after the assembly polls schedule was announced by the Election Commission, in which he said that "this election will be fought on work".
"Kejriwal's time is up and a new beginning is taking place in Delhi. He has failed and people are with us. We are confident of BJP's victory," Javadekar told reporters, adding Delhi needs a triple-engine for development with the BJP ruling at the Centre, in civic bodies and also in the city.
Asked as to who will be the BJP's chief ministerial candidate, Javadekar, incharge of party's Delhi unit for the Assembly elections, said it was not an issue. "It will be Kejriwal versus people," he retorted.
Welcoming the poll announcement, Javadekar told reporters, "People of Delhi were awaiting the chance to replace the government of lies and bring the one that works".
Out of power in Delhi for over two decades, the BJP is trying to stage a comeback riding on the popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the work done by his government in Delhi.
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Voting in the 70 Assembly constituencies in Delhi will be held on February 8. Counting of votes will take place on February 11.
Flanked by Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari, Javadekar targeted AAP supremo Kejriwal, saying his "lies" were exposed and people have seen his "real face".
Tiwari said that the Assembly elections were a fight between "development oriented nationalism" and "anarchy", alleging that the AAP which had come to power in 2015 "failed" on all fronts.
"We are happy that the results of the polls will be announced on 'mangal' (Tuesday). The BJP is here for 'mangal' (welfare) of people and we are committed to offer solutions to various problems faced by Delhi," Tiwari said.
The BJP has started preparations for the crucial polls. Besides, the election committee, as many as 35 other panels have been formed.
The party is already in campaign mode in unauthorised colonies and slums, installing hoardings of Modi and creating awareness about central government schemes.
The BJP expects to gain from schemes like granting property ownership in 1,731 unauthorised colonies, claiming the move benefits 40 lakh people, and "Jahan Jhuggi, Wahan Makan" for redevelopment of slums.
BJP president Amit Shah addressed a meeting of over 13,000 booth level workers of the party on Sunday, asserting the party under leadership of Narendra Modi will form government in Delhi.
The BJP will hold small meetings in "Mohalla Sabha" campaign, with Shah saying he himself will launch and participate in some of them.
Delhi BJP is also running "Meri Dilli, Mera Sujhav" campaign to get feedback from people for drafting its manifesto for Assembly polls.
The BJP suffered a humiliating defeat in 2015 managing to win just three seats. The AAP won 67 Assembly seats to form government in Delhi.
Since 2015, the BJP has been able to recover lost ground in Delhi as it registered victories in three municipal corporations and bypoll to Rajouri Garden Assembly seat.
In Lok Sabha polls last year, the BJP candidates won all the seven parliamentary seats in Delhi. The party raised its vote share to a staggering 56 per cent as compared to 22.37 per cent of Congress and 18.26 per cent of AAP.
