In the battleground for Delhi, the Aam Aadmi Party is contesting four seats and the Congress three from the INDIA bloc against the BJP, which swept all seven seats in the national capital in the 2019 general election.
AAP leader and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s return to the campaign trail after getting interim bail in the liquor scam case on May 10 has spruced up the fight. He has continuously been campaigning through public meetings and road shows in Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi.
His strategy is distinct this time. He seldom addresses large scale rallies but holds four or five public meetings every day in the bylanes of intimate localities, accompanied by his wife Sunita Kejriwal. With the slogan “Jail ka jawaab vote se”, or “Jail’s answer by vote”, Kejriwal says the contest is between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the people of Delhi.
At most of his campaign meetings, the AAP leader claims that Modi wants to “stop facilities such as free electricity, subsidised water and free bus travel for women in Delhi, which is why I have been put behind bars”. He emphasises that he is a “Hanuman devotee” and fights for the rights of people. His special appeal goes out to the women: “Give an answer for my incarceration by voting.”
But will the people respond to Kejriwal's appeal with votes on May 25?
Watch.
Newslaundry is a reader-supported, ad-free, independent news outlet based out of New Delhi. Support their journalism, here.