Delhi CM Kejriwal slapped during road show

Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convenor Arvind Kejriwal was on Saturday slapped during a road show in the national capital by an unidentified attacker.

Kejriwal, who was campaigning for party's candidate in west Delhi's Moti Nagar area along with party's candidate Balbir Singh Jakhar, was slapped by a person wearing a maroon colour t-shirt soon after the CM boarded the open jeep to participate in a road show.

AAP workers and supporters grabbed the alleged attacker. The attacker is being questioned by Delhi Police.

Meanwhile, Amid the Congress' hope of winning all seven seats of Delhi, party's Chandni Chowk candidate JP Agarwal feels that not going into an alliance with the ruling AAP was a wise decision.

"The Congress is not used to fighting elections in alliance in Delhi. The party had fought every election in a clean manner. We don't need them (the AAP). I was among those who was vocal against this alliance," Agarwal told IANS.

Grateful that the party had nominated him from Chandni Chowk, he said that he was sure of his win as he was born in the area.

"I was born in this Parliamentary constituency. I am the only candidate who was born here and has an electoral card from here. I have already fought six Lok Sabha elections from here and this is my seventh time," he said.

Stressing that Congress' focus on development, Agarwal said: "The Congress fights every election whether Lok Sabha, Assembly or local body on development issues. Roti, Kapada, Makaan and Rozgaar (food, clothing, housing and employment) are the basic issues." He also accused the sitting MP Harsh Vardhan, of the Bharatiya Janata Party, of being visionless and failing to address issues of the public, especially and the businessmen community.

"Harsh Vardhan was the Minister but failed to address issues being faced by the people or the businessmen, such as GST, note ban and sealing. He has no vision. He should have asked for Rs 1,500 crore or Rs 2,000 crore projects from the Cabinet, but he could not do it. He failed to connect with his constituency," he claimed.

On the Aam Aadmi Party's demand of full statehood to Delhi, the Congress leader termed it "political."

"The demand has nothing to do with administrative problems. Delhi has a budget of Rs 40,000 crore and they can carry out development work and nobody will stop them.

"The AAP has no idea how to go forward but our government in 15 years had done lot of developmental works. The AAP government has not added a single work to what has been done. (Chief Minister Arvind) Kejriwal is an educated person but can he participate in any debate and tell that with just seven people how can Delhi get complete statehood?

Indo-Asian News Service