New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday launched a scathing attack on the BJP, saying that if the ruling party at the Centre does not face defeat in this year's general elections, then the Aam Aadmi Party "will make India free of BJP" rule in the next Lok Sabha elections.
"The biggest challenger of BJP is Aam Aadmi Party. Today if BJP is scared of anyone, it is AAP...With utmost responsibility, I want to say that if BJP does not lose Lok Sabha elections in 2024, then AAP will make India free from BJP (rule) in 2029," Kejriwal said in the Delhi assembly.
He said AAP became a national party in a short span of time and now the party has governments in Delhi and Punjab. AAP won the trust vote in the Assembly.
Kejriwal said AAP has received historic mandates in Delhi, got a sizeable percentage of votes in Gujarat assembly polls and has five MLAs in the state and the party has two MLAs in Goa.
"This is no small feat...so today they are only afraid of the Aam Aadmi Party," he said.
Kejriwal took a dig at those "who succumb to pressure and switch sides" and said those who resist, regardless of the legal consequences, are honest.
He said those switching sides may be needing "BJP's protection" for their past deeds.
Referring to Manish Sisodia, who is facing ED and CBI probe in the excise policy case, Kejriwal alleged that a "lot of pressure was exerted" on the former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister but he did not succumb.
He said AAP was being "attacked" and many of its top leaders had been jailed. "They are trying to stop all our work, issuing threats, there are attacks from all sides, every child in the country is seeing what is happening, people are watching, They feel people are foolish, but people are not. It is being discussed in public parks what is happening...if Modiji wants to crush Kejriwal, I am not asking this, people are asking. Number two, number three, number four (in AAP hierarchy) are inside (jail), now they are saying number one also has to be put inside," he said.
"Such has an attack has never been seen, there is discussion why this is happening, today AAP has emerged as the biggest challenger to BJP. If they feels any threat, it is from Aam Aadmi Party and hence they want to crush Aam Aadmi Party by all means" he added.
—ANI