MANDI: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal launched party's "Mission Himachal" with its first ever roadshow and rally at Mandi in Himachal. Addressing the crowd, he declared that corruption in Punjab has finished in just 20 days and now it's Himachal's turn to become corruption-free.
In his four-minute address at the end of the roadshow, Kejriwal said it has been just 20 days since Bhagwant Mann took over as chief minister of Punjab, but the state has become corruption-free. Asking people to confirm this by ringing up anybody in Punjab, he said no official in any police station, registrar or tehsildar dared to demand a bribe. He said they could accomplish what no party had done in 75 years as "they were honest".
"Earlier the whole system used to take bribe, but not any more. Whoever will take bribe will be put behind bars. ," he said.
AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal said, "First we finished corruption in Delhi, then in Punjab and now it's the turn of Himachal. We do not know politics.... We know only work, rooting out corruption and patriotism. I know how to build schools. Call your relatives in Delhi and ask them about the change. I know fixing schools, electricity, water and hospitals".
He added that given the huge crowd in Mandi, he was certain that Himachal would break the record of Delhi and Punjab in the coming elections by giving his party maximum seats. While Kejriwal did not speak much about Himachal politics and other political parties but mainly focused on the Delhi and Punjab models of governance, Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann lashed out at BJP and Congress.
Mann said British gave India slavery for 200 years and now BJP and Congress are doing the same by playing innings for 5 years each. "In Himachal both the parties do not do much but deliver the same old speech as they know their turn will come after five years. They thought no third party can come to the arena. The same happened in Delhi and Punjab. Then God sent his broom to sweep the political mess. Let us come together vote for self, our children, good education, good hospitals, better basic facilities like water and electricity," he said.
Referring to BJP and Congress leaders issuing statements that a third party cannot enter Himachal, he said, "It means third party can enter Himachal. The person speaks about things that he fears about. While they prefer their own children, AAP shows common persons the stairs to assembly and parliament. The person who defeated Charanjit Singh Channi runs a mobile repair shop. The girl who defeated Sidhu and Majithia is a social worker. Those parties had a belief that politics is their property. People were thinking that politics is the job of goons and wealthy people. AAP has instilled a faith in them that even a common person can become an MLA and a teacher's son like Bhagwant Mann can become a CM..."
Wearing the traditional Himachali and AAP caps and beating the traditional pahari drums, people started congregating at Victoria bridge from 10am. Kejriwal and Mann reached Mandi at 2pm, two hours behind schedule.
The roadshow,"Tiranga Yatra", started from Victoria bridge at 2pm, taking 40 minutes to reach the rally venue at Seri Manch, in the heart of Mandi town, after passing through narrow roads of Samkhater, Moti bazaar and Chohta bazaar. People carrying the national flag accompanied the truck carrying Kejriwal and Mann while covering a distance of nearly 1.5km. During a short halt midway, Kejriwal donned a flower and crest decorated cap worn by men in Kullu and Mandi while performing a local folk dance. On reaching Seri Manch, Kejriwal and Mann made short speeches from top of the truck and concluded the rally.
"I had not expected that we would meet such a large number of people here. You people have made me happy," Kejriwal said. AAP leaders said Congress is not in the arena and their direct fight in Himachal is with BJP, and they have started the poll campaign from CM Jai Ram Thakur's home district of Mandi.
