Kejriwal leads roadshow in Surat, eyes 2022 Gujarat polls

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal on Friday led a roadshow in Surat following the party's impressive foray in the civic polls, and made it clear that his sights were now set on the 2022 Gujarat assembly polls.

The party will send young MLAs to the Assembly, he said.

The Delhi Chief Minister led a 10 km-long road show in Surat city to thank the voters for electing 27 AAP candidates.

Polls to six civic bodies in Gujarat including Surat were held on Sunday.

While the Bharatiya Janata Party retained power in the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) by winning 93 seats, the AAP bagged the remaining 27 seats, making inroads in the state.

The Congress failed to win even a single seat.

Supporters wearing AAP's signature caps turned up in large numbers to greet Kejriwal who stood on a specially designed truck with AAP's Gujarat unit chief Gopal Italia.

The road show started from Mini Bazar in Varachha and ended at Sarthana.

Addressing the gathering at Sarthana, Kejriwal said people were fed up with both the BJP and Congress.

"While one party indulges in the politics of appeasement, another does politics of hate. But, people are saying that they want jobs, not politics....People want good roads, schools, colleges and hospitals," he said.

The BJP was in power for the last 25 years but its governments failed to give jobs to youths, he said, claiming that his own government gave jobs to 10 lakh youths.

"What they can not do in 25 years, we did in five years. Just give us five years in Gujarat and you will forget the 25 years' rule of the BJP," Kejriwal said, making it clear that his party was gearing up for 2022 assembly polls.

"I want to appeal to the youth that enough of this begging for jobs. Join politics and you will go directly to the state Assembly (as MLAs) to create employment opportunities," he said.

Before this show of strength in the Patidar-dominated areas of Surat, Kejriwal addressed the newly elected AAP corporators.

The AAP would seek votes in the Assembly polls based on the performance of its corporators in Surat, he told them.

"In our first attempt, AAP won 28 Assembly seats in Delhi and came to power. People trusted us because they knew that we are true patriots, as we were associated with Anna Hazare's agitation," he said.

If anyone from the BJP tried to persuade them to switch the sides, they should inform the AAP leadership, Kejriwal said.

"I am sure that BJP people will call you. But remember, our true wealth is people's trust. If anyone of you switches sides, it will break the trust of six crore people (of Gujarat)," he said.