Poll in sights, campaigns enter home stretch

Union home minister Amit Shah on Thursday attacked the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and its national convener Arvind Kejriwal on a slew of issues, from the excise policy case to the controversial comments on Yamuna water, as he urged Delhi voters to "press the EVM button of the BJP so hard that windows of Sheesh Mahal shatter".

- Paras Singh

NEW DELHI:

Addressing public meetings at Rohini, Shah termed the 10 years of AAP rule as "misgovernance" and said removal of "AAPda" (danger)—a play on the ruling party's name first used by Prime Minister Narendra Modi—was the only way to progress Delhi.

In response, the AAP said that the Delhi model was the best in the country.

On the day, Shah also addressed public meetings at Wazipur and New Delhi, besides holding a roadshow in Shalimar Bagh, scaling up the party's election campaign.

In a three-pronged attack, Shah targeted Arvind Kejriwal on issues of corruption, Yamuna controversy and governance.

"During Anna movement, Kejriwal promises never to make a political party or to take support from Congress. He said that he will never take government cars or bungalows but he was not satisfied with one. Five bungalows were demolished to make one Sheeshmahal," Shah said in Rohini.

At New Delhi, Shah said that the AAP chief's "₹51-crore Sheeshmahal" residence was spread over 21,000 sq ft, with 12 toilets, 57 ceiling fans, 8 bedrooms, 50 air conditioners and 24 sofa sets. "We are not talking about things in entire colony. This is one Sheesh Mahal," Shah said.

He also raked up alleged scams in excise policy, DJB, ration provision, DTC, education and panic buttons.