Kejriwal stopped on his way to Modi’s house

Ahmedabad, Mar 7
(Source : ndtv.com)

Arvind Kejriwal’s white-hot tour of Gujarat notched a new controversy this morning – he was stopped in Gandhinagar by the police from arriving at the residence of Narendra Modi, the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate.

Before his convoy headed in the direction of Mr Modi’s house, Mr Kejriwal, who is the chief of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), announced that he would drop in to meet Mr Modi with a list of 16 questions. “If he is free to meet us, fine. If not, we will return when he gives us an appointment,” said Mr Kejriwal.

The 45-year-old said that his travel through Gujarat has “exposed truths that are shocking” in how radically they contradict the claims of development that Mr Modi and the BJP have flagged as his main qualification for the country’s top job.

Mr Kejriwal’s road-show in Gujarat, which began on the day national elections were announced, has been steeped in controversy. The Election Commission says he violated the code of conduct because he did not get prior police permission for his procession through the state; cars transporting him and his close aide, Manish Sisodia, were attacked; his brief detention at a police station resulted in extreme street battles between workers of his party and the BJP in Delhi and Lucknow.

Mr Kejriwal resigned as Chief Minister of Delhi 49 days after his party delivered an improbable result in the first election it contested. AAP says that if Mr Modi runs for Parliament from anywhere outside Gujarat, Mr Kejriwal is likely to stand against him.

Opinion polls forecast that the BJP, led by Mr Modi, will emerge as the largest party when results are declared on May 16, but will fall well short of a majority. Mr Kejriwal’s party has established itself as a major disruptor, alleging corruption in both the BJP and the incumbent Congress.

(Courtesy- ndtv.com)