We are not in the race for 2019: Arvind Kejriwal

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Delhi chief minister, Arvind Kejriwal, on Monday said that Aam Aadmi Party was not in the race for the next Lok Sabha elections, scheduled for 2019.

Speaking at his party’s National Council meet in Delhi, he said, ” We are not in the race for 2019. Four years ago, none of us envisaged coming to electoral politics and contesting elections, let alone winning. So the journey has been nothing less than a miracle. f we think we’ve achieved this, then we are wrong. It’s a divine intervention.”

He, however, added that Punjab had given positive signs to his party.

Kejriwal lauded his government for making significant progress since coming to power in February this year. He said that two key objectives for AAP had always been fighting corruption through bringing janlokpal and implementing swaraaj.

He said, “We’ve worked very hard in the last 10 months. What we have achieved, Sheila Dikshit couldn’t do it in 15 years. Modiji had entire nation to his disposal, even he could not do. On corruption, there’s never been a precedence of chief minister sacking his own minister for involvement in corruption.”

On controversy surrounding Lalu Yadav, Kejriwal said that he was against Lalu’s politics and hugging him did not amount to he approving his politics.

He said, “I went to Bihar. Nitish Kumar is a good person. People told us that he had done good work. Our support for him was also because we wanted to defeat BJP in the state. I go to Rashtrapati Bhawan. All party leaders come there. Lalu Yadav was on the stage during Nitish Kumar’s ceremony.

“He shook my hand and pulled me towards him and hugged me. And held my hand and raised it. Media chose to highlight this and create controversy. We are against his dynasty politics. His two sons are ministers. We are against that too. I am happy that questions are being asked.”

He added, “We have not formed an alliance (with Lalu). We are against his record of corruption and we’ll always oppose it. Questions are being asked because people have hope and they believe we are different. Nobody asks questions when other leaders hug Lalu ji, it’s good for us.”

Earlier today, the party unanimously passed a resolution extending the tenure of founder members. This followed the protests by sit-in protests of disgruntled and suspended party members outside the NC meeting venue.

The party said that those protesting were informed by letter about their suspension from party for anti-party activities.

 

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