Do away with 'AAPda-kal rule' in Delhi, says Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday came down hard on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Delhi, terming the last 10 years of its governance "nothing less than aapda" and saying that "only the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)" and its double-engine government can transform Delhi into a world-class Capital city.

- Paras Singh

Speaking at what the party called "parivartan rally" in Rohini, Modi said every season in Delhi is "aapdakaal (a period of disaster)", citing alleged governance failure on issues such as pollution, water supply shortage and waterlogging.

He also attacked the AAP's leaders for being embroiled in a "series of scams" despite tracing their political roots to an anti-corruption movement.

This was Modi's second big attack on former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and his party in less than a week.

Last Friday, while inaugurating a slew of big tickets projects, Modi first assailed the political rival using the word "aapda", which means catastrophe in Hindi. The BJP leader also targeted Kejriwal more directly, although without naming him, by referring to "sheesh mahal" -- the name Modi's party has given to the former CM's residence for alleged luxurious retrofitting on state money. AAP has refuted the allegations.

Hitting back at Modi's speech, Kejriwal said that the Prime Minister devoted the majority of his speech to "hurl abuses at the AAP" and he "should next time answer the people of Delhi on unfulfilled promises made by him in 2020 elections", citing a repeal of Sections 81 and 33 of the Delhi Land Reform Act, granting land ownership rights, implementing the long-pending Delhi Land Pooling Policy and notifying Delhi Master Plan 2041.