New Delhi, Feb 3 (PTI) – Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday launched a scathing attack on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), accusing it of hindering Delhi’s progress while states with a "double-engine" BJP government have advanced over the past decade. Addressing a public rally in Jangpura, Shah blamed AAP for Delhi’s lack of development, stating that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his deputy Manish Sisodia kept "making excuses" and "fighting with the Centre."
Shah labeled Kejriwal and Sisodia as "bade miyan and chote miyan" and accused them of "looting" Delhi. He specifically targeted Sisodia, who is contesting from the Jangpura Assembly seat against BJP’s Tarvinder Singh Marwah, calling him the only education minister in the country to be jailed in a liquor scam.
"AAP Has Left Delhi Behind"
Criticizing the AAP government’s performance, Shah alleged that instead of delivering on promises, it had only provided Delhi with "garbage, toxic water, and corruption." He claimed that nearly half of AAP MLAs have deserted the party, signaling that it is a "sinking ship."
The senior BJP leader further accused Sisodia of compromising the future of Delhi’s children by indulging in corruption in the name of education. "As soon as the BJP government comes to power, he will have to answer for every penny," Shah declared.
BJP’s Vision for Delhi
Promising a turnaround under BJP rule, Shah asserted that his party is the only one capable of transforming Delhi into the world’s best capital city. Speaking at another rally in support of BJP candidate Kailash Gahlot in Bijwasan, he criticized the AAP government for the city’s poor infrastructure, pointing out issues such as inadequate drainage, faulty water supply systems, and unfulfilled promises of world-class roads and universities.
Shah also took aim at Kejriwal for allegedly misleading the public about the contamination of Yamuna’s water by Haryana, calling it an insult to Haryanvis living in Delhi and nearby regions.
Taking a dig at Kejriwal’s unfulfilled promise to take a dip in the highly polluted Yamuna, Shah said, "BJP workers immersed his cutout in the river, and it was so polluted that even the cutout had to be admitted to AIIMS."
Promises Under BJP Rule
Shah assured that a BJP-led government would clean the Yamuna and develop a riverfront similar to Ahmedabad’s Sabarmati within three years. He also promised free healthcare for Delhi residents under the Ayushman Bharat scheme.
Further attacking Kejriwal’s credibility, Shah reminded voters that the AAP leader had once vowed not to accept government perks but later built himself a lavish "sheesh mahal" (glass palace) with extravagant features, including motion-sensor doors, designer marble, a golden commode, and carpets worth Rs 50 crore. Urging voters to reject AAP, he said, "Press the EVM button so hard that it shatters the glass of Kejriwal’s ‘sheesh mahal.’"
On National Security and Article 370
Shah also highlighted national security achievements under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He recounted the 2016 surgical strikes against Pakistan-based terrorists, emphasizing that India responded swiftly to attacks in Uri and Pulwama. He further claimed that Modi's government had significantly reduced terrorism and would eradicate Naxalism by March 2026.
Revisiting the scrapping of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, he mocked opposition leaders like Kejriwal, Rahul Gandhi, Mamata Banerjee, Akhilesh Yadav, and Mehbooba Mufti for predicting "rivers of blood" post-abrogation. "Forget rivers of blood, no one dares to throw even a pebble," he remarked.
Ram Temple and BJP’s Commitment
Shah also spoke about the recently inaugurated Ram temple in Ayodhya, asserting that Lord Ram lived in a tent for 550 years before Modi ensured the temple’s construction within five years.
With a highly charged campaign, Shah positioned the BJP as the only viable alternative for Delhi’s governance, reinforcing the party’s commitment to development, infrastructure, and national security.
