Close X
Monday, November 11, 2024
ADVT 
India

Kejriwal attacks Modi during Varanasi roadshow

Anjali Ojha IANS, 09 May, 2014 10:16 AM
    Surrounded by thousands of supporters, AAP candidate Arvind Kejriwal put up a show of strength here Friday, attacking his rival and BJP's prime ministerial aspirant Narendra Modi.
     
    Dubbing Modi's display of strength a day earlier as a "drama", Kejriwal claimed that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) was determined to create history in the Lok Sabha election in this Hindu holy city.
     
    Kejriwal's roadshow also began from where Modi started out Thursday: the Banaras Hindu University's (BHU) main gate.
     
    Speaking from an open vehicle during the many brief halts, Kejriwal accused Modi of "playing politics" on the issue of Ganga aarti. "Don't vote for such a man," the AAP leader said on a loudhailer.
     
    The reference was to Modi's allegation that the Election Commission had prevented him doing Ganga aarti Thursday. The poll panel denied the charge.
     
    Police and others estimated the AAP supporters at "a few thousand". Aam Aadmi Party leaders said "several thousands" both from Varanasi and other parts of the country were part of the roadshow.
     
    "We are confident that Kejriwal is going to win from here," AAP's Gaurav Tiwari told IANS.
     
    "Wherever we go in Varanasi, we see support for Kejriwal. It cuts across religious and other divides. That is a good sign," he added.
     
    From atop his open van, Kejriwal shook hands with a throng of people trying to keep pace with him. A few offered him garlands. Hundreds peeped out of their houses and shops on both sides of the road.
     
    Following him were a mass of supporters -- on foot, covering all sides of the vehicle, as well as on dozens of two wheelers. Many waved brooms -- the AAP election symbol.
     
    Like at Modi's show a day earlier, there was frenzied slogan shouting Friday too.
     
    Bharatiya Janata Party leaders have publicly dismissed Kejriwal's electoral challenge as a hiccup. The other main candidate in Varanasi is Ajay Rai of the Congress.
     
    But Kejriwal has increasingly asserted that he is poised to defeat Modi, who is also contesting from Vadodara in Gujarat.
     
    At Godowlia Chowk, a few thousand people waited to catch up with Kejriwal.
     
    Varanasi votes Monday.
     
    Zaheeruddin Ansari, a Muslim in his late 20s, said most members of his community Varanasi were determined to vote for Kejriwal.
     
    "We are sick and tired of the Congress," Ansari told IANS. "We need a change. And Kejriwal is the man."
     
    Earlier, TV artist Raghu Raman was allegedly attacked by unidentified people here Friday when AAP supporters were taking out a motorcycle rally ahead of Kejriwal's roadshow.
     
    Raghu Raman later said the attackers were chased away by BHU students.
     
    On Thursday night, an AAP activist, Prerna, was injured on her forehead after stones were pelted on an AAP rally, police said.

    MORE India ARTICLES

    Modi's Varanasi rally spiked, BJP on warpath

    Modi's Varanasi rally spiked, BJP on warpath
    The BJP Wednesday declared war on the Election Commission after it denied permission to its prime ministerial aspirant Narendra Modi to hold rallies and another event Thursday in Varanasi where he is contesting his second Lok Sabha seat.

    Modi's Varanasi rally spiked, BJP on warpath

    60 million vote in second last round of Lok Sabha battle

    60 million vote in second last round of Lok Sabha battle
    Over 60 million people Wednesday voted in 64 Lok Sabha constituencies across seven states - the number higher than the 2009 average - in the second last round of a staggered election widely tipped to usher in a new government.

    60 million vote in second last round of Lok Sabha battle

    CBI arrests two civic officials for taking bribe

    CBI arrests two civic officials for taking bribe
    The CBI Tuesday arrested two officials of Delhi's civic agency MCD after they were caught taking bribe.

    CBI arrests two civic officials for taking bribe

    Chandigarh's Public Toilets in Corruption Stink

    Chandigarh's Public Toilets in Corruption Stink
    The allotment of tenders for maintenance and advertising of these public toilets is now raising a multi-crore stink, with the city's civic body and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probing the whole affair. 

    Chandigarh's Public Toilets in Corruption Stink

    UN's Pillay seeks peaceful solution to Ukraine crisis

    UN's Pillay seeks peaceful solution to Ukraine crisis
    The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay Tuesday called on all sides to make greater efforts for a peaceful resolution of the Ukraine crisis.

    UN's Pillay seeks peaceful solution to Ukraine crisis

    20 die of cholera in Nigeria

    20 die of cholera in Nigeria
    At least 20 people have died in a cholera outbreak in Nigeria's Plateau state, hospital officials said Tuesday.

    20 die of cholera in Nigeria