The Centre Is Detrimental To Growth Of Opposition States

Head of next month's crucial assembly elections in Delhi, senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Saurabh Bharadwaj spoke to Sanjeev K Jha and Ridhima Gupta on a range of issues.

- Saurabh Bharadwaj

Edited excerpts:

Do you think people have suffered because the LG and the state government have been sparring?

I believe that at least for the last five-seven years, the central government has created roadblocks for every state government ruled by opposition parties-be it in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal or Punjab. Elected governments of these states had to go to the top court to get their bills converted into laws. This is shameful. The Centre is detrimental to the growth of any other state. People are suffering across the country, not just in Delhi. This is because of the current BJP leadership.

The AAP has been in power for 10 years in Delhi. Isn't there a sense of anti-incumbency in the Capital?

People are satisfied with the work done by Arvind Kejriwal's government. I am not working as hard in this election as I did in 2013, 2015 or 2020. The reason is that wherever I go, people are very welcoming...Before 2013, MLAs never visited villages or unauthorised colonies. Even in villages where there are plenty BJP supporters, they know we will get their work done. The change that people have seen will be reflected in this election.