Lok Sabha elections 2019: Delhi CM takes dig at ‘chowkidar’ campaign

NEW DELHI: If people want their children to become watchmen, they should vote for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Aam Aadmi Party national convener Arvind Kejriwal said on Wednesday, taking a dig at the PM’s ‘Main Bhi Chowkidar’ campaign.
“If you want to provide good education and make your children doctors, engineers and lawyers, vote for AAP, which is a party of educated and honest people,” Kejriwal tweeted.Modi wants to make everybody in the country a watchman, he added.
Launched last week by PM Narendra Modi, BJP has stepped up its ‘Main Bhi Chowkidar’ campaign in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections with Modi and most of the party leaders prefixing their social media accounts with the ‘chowkidar’ tag.
Following Kejriwal’s remarks, the Delhi unit of BJP hit out at the chief minister saying chowkidars work really hard and it is better to become a watchman than be a “big liar” like him. Prime Minister Modi wants the countrymen to become chowkidars so that they can fight against corruption and social evils, Delhi BJP tweeted.
BJP seems to have an edge in all seven Lok Sabha seats in the capital if AAP goes to the poll without an alliance with Congress. Even in 2014 when a strong Modi wave swept the country — all seven seats in Delhi had gone to BJP — the combined vote share of AAP (33.1%) and Congress (15.2%) at 48.3% was higher than BJP’s 46.6%. In the 2015 assembly elections, AAP improved its vote share to 54%, sweeping Dehi.
However, within two years, AAP’s vote share dipped to 26% in the municipal elections, which was won by the BJP despite strong anti-incumbency factors. On the other hand, Congress’ vote share registered a jump from 10% in 2015 to 21% in 2017. Together, AAP and Congress got 47% of the votes, which was higher than BJP’s 37%. AAP had lost its deposit in the 2017 Rajouri Garden byelection, which was also won by BJP.
Although Congress is yet to officially clear its stand, Kejriwal has said Congress has communicated to AAP that it will not have any alliance. Despite a meeting between AAP Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Singh and NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Tuesday, which sparked speculation that Congress was still considering an alliance, Delhi AAP convener Gopal Rai said, “AAP is with the mahagathbandhan. We have decided not to have any poll pact with Congress.”
After making a similar announcement in January, AAP had kept on trying to convince Congress on an alliance. However, in February, Kejriwal had said at a public meeting, “We are tired of persuading Congress to form an alliance but they do not understand.”
Meanwhile, AAP spokesperson Saurabh Bharadwaj targeted Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Twitter saying “RG believes he has no chance in 2019, he is eyeing 2024. Sharing seats will diminish RG’s 2024 dream.”
BJP strategists, the AAP MLA from Greater Kailash claimed, has asked Media to make 2019 a ‘Modi Vs RG’ show. “RG is basking under manufactured illusion, though it’s a trap by BJP. In parallel, RG jokes r being pushed hard by BJP (sic),” Bharadwaj tweeted.