NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday launched a sharp attack on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) saying that the party is falling apart ahead of the upcoming elections in Delhi.
“We are seeing that even before the voting, ‘jhaadu ke tinke bikhar rahe hain’ (the straws of the broom are scattering). Leaders of ‘AAP-da’ are leaving it, they know that people are angry with ‘AAP-da’, they (people) hate this party,” Modi said, referring to several AAP leaders quitting the party.
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He also expressed confidence in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) forming the next government in Delhi.
“With the arrival of Basant Panchami, the weather starts to change. In Delhi, on February 5, ‘vikas ka naya Basant aane wala hai’ – this time BJP government is going to form in Delhi,” he said.
His remarks comes days after 8 AAP MLAs quit the party and joined BJP just days before the Delhi Assembly polls. The legislators—Vandana Gaur (Palam), Rohit Mehraulia (Trilokpuri), Girish Soni (Madipur), Madan Lal (Kasturba Nagar), Rajesh Rishi (Uttam Nagar), B S Joon (Bijwasan), Naresh Yadav (Mehrauli), and Pawan Sharma (Adarsh Nagar)—resigned from AAP, citing corruption and the party’s alleged deviation from its ideology.
AAP, however, dismissed the allegations, claiming that BJP had been trying to lure its MLAs by offering positions and incentives.
During his speech, Modi also took aim at AAP’s governance in Delhi over the past 11 years, accusing the party of corruption and mismanagement. “AAP-da committed scams in even health measures, those who ‘looted’ people will have to return it,” he said.
PM Modi also spoke about the Union Budget, calling it a “people’s budget” that fulfils his government’s commitments to empowering the poor, farmers, youth, and women. He emphasised that the budget is particularly beneficial for the middle class, calling it the “most friendly budget for them in India’s history.”
“Never after Independence have those earning up to Rs 12 lakh received such a relief,” he said, referring to the tax cuts introduced in the budget. Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s announcement raised the exemption threshold from Rs 7 lakh to Rs 12 lakh, providing substantial relief to the middle class.
Modi lauded the budget’s approach, saying it strengthens savings and makes citizens partners in development. “The Budget lays a strong foundation to increase savings and make citizens partners in development,” he said.
The Delhi Assembly elections are set for February 5, with results to be declared on February 8.
