September 08, 2024

Arvind Kejriwal Returns Without Losing His Form

By Sunil Garodia
First publised on 2024-05-11 14:01:14

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Editor-in-Chief of indiacommentary.com. Current Affairs analyst and political commentator.

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Trust Arvind Kejriwal to spice up the election campaign. Out of jail on bail, the AAP supremo was in great form as he tore into the BJP after his first comment yesterday that there was a need to fight dictatorship. Kejriwal warned people that if they vote for the BJP in these elections, they are not voting for Narendra Modi but for Amit Shah as according to him Modi will retire on reaching 75 years of age (Modi is 73 now). Obviously, Kejriwal was referring to the fact that when Modi had assumed power, he had consigned all senior and respected BJP leaders like L K Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi, who were above 75, to the so-called margdarshak mandal, effectively ending their political careers. Kejriwal also said that within two months of getting a third term, Modi will remove UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath as he had removed other BJP chief minister in the past. He further said that given the dictatorial attitude of the NDA government, several opposition leaders will be arrested after the elections if the BJP wins.

The BJP responded fast to his charge. Amit Shah said that there was no such rule in the party that a person has to give up his post on reaching 75 years of age and Modi will complete his term, if elected again. BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi said that at least Kejriwal is admitting that Modi will be prime minister again.

What Kejriwal is trying to do is extremely cunning. He knows that the BJP is asking for votes in the name of Modi and Modi himself is going around the country plugging his guarantees. Kejriwal is trying to put doubts in the minds of the people about how long Modi will remain prime minister if the BJP wins a third term. He has also asked the people to ponder whether Amit Shah, who he says will take over from Modi, will fulfil Modi's guarantees. On the other hand, he is also trying to unnerve the rank and file of BJP who swear by Modi (the BJP was constrained to counter this when Amit Shah said that there is no confusion in the party regarding Modi completing his term). This is brilliant strategy as far as campaigning is concerned. But it remains to be seen how effective this ploy is going to be and whether the people believe what Kejriwal is saying.