Will support anyone who promises statehood for Delhi except BJP: Arvind Kejriwal

The AAP chief alleged that Rahul Gandhi will be responsible if BJP seizes power once again.

NEW DELHI: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday said that his party will support anyone who promises statehood for Delhi except the Narendra Modi-Amit Shah-powered BJP.

The AAP convener also accused Congress chief Rahul Gandhi of playing spoilsport and helping the BJP in the national elections.

He alleged that Rahul Gandhi will be responsible if BJP seizes power once again.

The AAP chief made these remark while talking to news agency PTI.

The Delhi Chief Minister alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had "totally failed" in delivering anything in any of the key sectors and that is why he has been resorting to "fake nationalism".

"Modi ji's nationalism is fake. It dangerous for the country," Kejriwal said. 

"He is using the armed forces to get votes as he does not have any work to show," he alleged.

The AAP national convenor, who along with Anna Hazare led a massive anti-graft agitation against UPA II between 2011 and 2013, said Manmohan Singh as prime minister was a thousand times better than Modi.

Kejriwal also exuded confidence that the BJP is not going to retain power for the second time in a row.

"Our only aim is to stop Modi and Shah from coming back to power. We will support anyone other than the duo," he added.

The AAP chief came down heavily on Rahul Gandhi and accused him of harming the SP-BSP alliance in Uttar Pradesh, the Left in Kerala, the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal and the Aam Aadmi Party in the national capital.

"Congress is harming SP-BSP alliance in UP, Left in Kerala, TMC in West Bengal, TDP in Andhra and AAP in Delhi. If Narendra Modi comes back to power, Rahul Gandhi will only be responsible," Kejriwal said. 

The AAP national convenor made these sharp observations two days ahead of polling in Delhi, which is witnessing a three-cornered contest as talks for an alliance between the Congress and the AAP did not fructify.

"It is appearing as if the Congress is fighting the polls against opposition parties and not against the BJP. The Congress is acting as a spoilsport," he added.

Kejriwal appeared confident that his party will perform well in the national capital.

"A month back, I thought it will be a fierce fight. But the situation changed dramatically in the last 10 days. I am witnessing a situation similar to the atmosphere when we got 67 seats in 2015. I will not be surprised if we get all seven seats," he said.

Kejriwal said the BJP is seeking votes in the name of PM Modi but the AAP is banking on its work in the fields of education, health and water supply and lower electricity tariff.

"Modi ji cannot say I made schools, hospitals, brought down electricity tariff, ensured supply of drinking water. He failed in every sector. He has not delivered anything," the Delhi CM alleged.

On the issue of pamphlet war between his party candidate Atishi and BJP's Gautam Gambhir, he said Atishi is a highly educated and an accomplished woman. 

''Her work has been great in the field of education which is being discussed worldwide. I don't understand why BJP can't tolerate achievements made by women,'' Kejriwal said.

''This is the mentality of BJP, even today, BJP leaders are saying the same things that were written in the pamphlet. They have filed defamation case against us after defaming us. We are sending defamation notice to Gautam Gambhir today. We will not leave this matter,'' he added.