Why Kejriwal tenders an apology at every 'jan sabha'

'We were new in politics. We made a mistake. This time around, we will not resign,' Arvind Kejriwal tells Rediff.com contributor Rashme Sehgal.

Aam Aadmi party chief Arvind Kejriwal tweeted on Wednesday, January 28, that he feared 'farzi' (false) sting operations were being planned against AAP leaders by the Bharatiya Janata Party.

In another jibe at the BJP he told farmers in the Mundka assembly seat that the 'BJP is disintegrating and they know they are going to lose -- they even brought Obama (US President Barack Obama), but it will not make a difference.'

A few days ago Kejriwal was censured by the Election Commission for his advice to voters to accept bribes offered by parties, but vote only for the AAP.

Before he could be informed that the Election Commission had taken exception to his remark, he told voters at another jan sabha that they should accept money being given to them because it was their own money looted by the government in the 2G and coal scams. 'Don't accept alcohol, that is not good for your health, but accept the money,' Kejriwal had said.

Kejriwal also accused the BJP of attempting to get the voters' list fudged before the Delhi polls. He alleged that the BJP had promised Rs 1,500 for 'one fake vote' and Rs 200 to get any 'vote for AAP' deleted.

'A top BJP leader has directed all Delhi BJP MLAs to get at least 5,000 fake votes in each constituency and get AAP votes deleted. This information was given to us by someone who did this job for the BJP last week,' claimed Kejriwal.

Delhi has been under President's rule since Kejriwal resigned as chief minister on February 14, 2014. In the assembly elections held in December 2013, AAP had won 28 seats while the BJP won 31 seats in the 70-member House.

Kejriwal is now asking Delhi voters to give his party a clear majority so he can fulfil his promise of providing cheap and clean drinking water, and subsidised, uninterrupted power to the city's 20 million citizens, made during the last election.

"Our slogan is bijli, paani and makan," says Kejriwal, who promises full statehood to Delhi. He also promises to set up an ultra mega power plant to meet Delhi's electricity needs and construct 200,000 public toilets.

The BJP bringing his friend-turned-foe Kiran Bedi as its chief ministerial nominee into the electoral arena has become another bone of contention. AAP workers put up posters on autorickshaws in the city showing Kejriwal with the title 'imandar' (honest) and another picture of Bedi with the title 'avsarvadi' (opportunistic).

Bedi has served a legal notice, questioning how her photograph was used in AAP posters without her permission and has demanded these posters be removed.

Kejriwal challenged Bedi to a public debate, which she has declined.

Bedi was brought in to help unite different factions in the Delhi BJP together, something she has not succeeded in doing. Kejriwal is quick to point out that earlier the BJP was a divided house, but now these different factions have joined hands to sabotage Bedi' attempt to become CM.

"The BJP brought in their top leaders including ministers to campaign against the AAP, but they failed to make an impact. The prime minister also held a meeting at the Ramlila grounds, which too failed. That is why, just 15 days before the election, Bedi was brought in," Kejriwal tells Rediff.com

Kejriwal believes Bedi needs to clarify her stand on several issues like should women have four children as has been demanded by BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj the presence of Nihal Chand, allegedly a rape accused, in Modi's ministry.

Kejriwal has also raised the issue of funding in the BJP. The AAP leader demands to know why 80 per cent of the BJP's funding should come from unknown sources, especially since the AAP has been transparent in its funding sources.

Kejriwal also wants to know whether Bedi, who he describes as being "a strong woman," would raise the question of 'dharma parivartan' (conversions) within the BJP.

"We are fighting on issues. The janta has seen our government. We ended corruption. Wherever we go, people keep telling us how much corruption has increased," says Kejriwal.

"Our fight is not against any person or any political party. It is against corruption and price rise. I hope the people of Delhi will give us a huge mandate. I hope they will give us a majority so that we can form the government for the next five years," he says.

Asked why he quit within 49 days of being sworn in as the chief minister, he says, "We were new in politics. We made a mistake. This time around, we will not resign."

Another frequent reminder during his jan sabhas has been how despite Delhi being under President's rule, it has seen the BJP government at the Centre. 'Have they been able to fulfil their electoral promises?' he asks the public. 'Sugar prices have increased, the railways have raised the cost of tickets, electricity rates have been increased twice over.'

At his jan sabhas, the public give him a standing ovation. But Kejriwal knows only too well that he is fighting with his back to the wall. It is neck and neck at the moment. He has already held 100 public meetings across constituencies and another 100 jan sabhas. At each meeting he tenders an apology.

Whether he can fulfil his ambition of becoming chief minister a second time will be known on February 10.

Image: Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal on the campaign trail in New Delhi. Photograph: Courtesy AAP Facebook page