‘Will You Decide…?’ Amit Shah Lambasts Kejriwal Over Claims On BJP’s CM Face For Delhi – News18

Last Updated:January 11, 2025, 19:51 IST

Slum dwellers will become “liberators” of Delhi by uprooting the “Aapda” (AAP) government in the upcoming Assembly polls, BJP leader Amit Shah said on Saturday, assuring that no welfare schemes for the poor will be stopped if his party forms government in the city.

Amit Shah’s public address, the first after announcement of election dates, has given a fresh fillip to BJP’s poll pitch and infused fresh vigour in party ranks. (Image: X)

The campaigning for the Delhi assembly polls intensified on Saturday after union Home Minister Amit Shah lashed out at Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal over his claim that the BJP has finalised its leader Ramesh Bidhuri as the chief ministerial face of the party for the polls.

While addressing the ‘Jhuggi Basti Pradhan Sammelan’ at Delhi’s JLN stadium, the BJP leader slammed the AAP leader saying that the AAP supremo’s “manipulations” were understood by Delhi people.

“Can Kejriwal decide the BJP’s chief ministerial face? Kejriwal ji, whole Delhi understands these tactics of manipulating people,” he said.

‘Ramesh Bidhuri Will Be BJP’s Delhi CM Face’: Kejriwal Backs Atishi’s Claims

Earlier today, Kejriwal reiterated the claim that the saffron camp has decided to project its leader Ramesh Bidhuri as the party’s chief ministerial candidate for the upcoming Delhi assembly polls.

Kejriwal further congratulated the BJP leader and asked him for his vision for the national capital. He also invited the saffron party’s CM candidate to have an open debate on the development issues once the BJP officially announces the decision.

“We are getting information that Ramesh Bidhuri’s name will be officially announced (as BJP CM face) in the coming one or two days. I congratulate Ramesh Bidhuri on becoming the CM face of BJP. Ramesh Bidhuri should tell what he did for the development of Delhi while being an MP. What is his vision for Delhi?” Kejriwal said while addressing the press conference.

A day earlier, Delhi CM Atishi had also claimed that her Kalkaji rival Ramesh Bidhuri will be the BJP’s CM pick. She said that this was Bidhuri’s “reward” for being the “most abusive” leader of his party.

Kejriwal An ‘AAP-da’ For Delhiites, Says Shah

In a mega outreach to the slum dwellers ahead of the polls, Shah launched a tirade at Kejriwal for allegedly betraying the slum dwellers and forcing them to live in pathetic conditions in slums.

“People living in slums of Delhi are getting dirty water. People living in slums are asking us why Delhi is the most polluted city in the world. What did Arvind Kejriwal do in Delhi in the last 10 years? If you are not able to do anything Arvind Kejriwal, then you should leave the government, BJP will give all the benefits,” he said.

The senior BJP leader, referring to PM Modi’s recent “AAP-da” jab at the city’s AAP dispensation, said that Kejriwal-led AAP government has proved to be an “Aapda” (disaster) in its 10 years of rule in Delhi.

Shah further said that AAP rode to power, capitalising on the anti-corruption crusade by a saintly figure like Anna Hazare but went to break all records of corruption during its 10 years of governance.

He further told the crowd that the polling day (February 5) would be the day when they can get rid of “AAP-das” from their lives.

“I have come here today to tell you that you can become the liberator of Delhi. You can free Delhi from many ‘Aapdas’ (disasters). Remember my words — 5 February is the day of Delhi’s freedom from ‘AAP-da,” Shah said, eliciting strong cheers from the audience.

Toilet In ‘Sheesh Mahal’ Expensive Than Delhi Slums

The Home Minister further traded barbs at the AAP supremo that the toilet in CM’s official residence, which the BJP call “Sheeshmahal” over its “expensive” renovation work done during her predecessor Arvind Kejriwal’s tenure, is more expensive than the slums in the national capital.

“Lies, betrayal and going back on promises,” are the qualities of Kejriwal, Shah said, accusing the AAP leader of building the “Sheesh Mahal” instead of toilets in Delhi’s slum clusters.

Shah said the slum dwellers of Delhi will give a befitting reply to the AAP and Kejriwal on February 5 for cheating them, failing to clean the Yamuna River and committing the “sin” of building the “Sheesh Mahal”.

The BJP has been using the “Sheesh Mahal” moniker to attack Kejriwal, alleging that he indulged in corruption and had a lavish lifestyle while living in the 6, Flagstaff Road bungalow as the chief minister of Delhi before his resignation in September last year.

BJP Will Not Stop Welfare Schemes For The Poor

Drawing a comparison between the AAP and BJP manifesto, Shah said that their poll promises are a bunch of lies while party’s Sankalp Patra is about the resolve that sees the light of day.

“We promise what we do and we do what we promise,” he said.

Shah also promised that solutions to all the problems and issues faced by the slum dwellers in Delhi will be mentioned in BJP’s manifesto. “The BJP will ensure pucca houses for every slum dweller,” he said.

“I want to reiterate what Prime Minister Narendra Modi said earlier that no welfare schemes for the poor will be stopped,” he said.

AAP Reacts On Shah’s Accusations

Kejriwal has slammed the Home Minister over his allegations related to slum dwellers.

“Today Amit Shah ji abused me and the people of Delhi a lot. The people of Delhi will answer this in the elections. Amit ji told a lot of lies to the slum dwellers. Tomorrow morning I will hold a press conference from a slum which they have planned to demolish after the elections. I will expose the dirty intentions of BJP with full evidence,” he said in a post on X.

AAP MP Sanjay Singh also hit out at Shah and said, “If any party has bulldozed the houses of the poor after independence, it is the BJP… Till 2022-2023, they (BJP) have bulldozed the houses of poor people in Delhi 35 times… People living in slums will give a befitting reply to Union Home Minister Amit Shah… He has no right to speak about people living in slums… Arvind Kejriwal has benefited the people living in slums a lot…”

Delhi Elections 2025

Voting for the Delhi polls will take place on February 5 in a single phase while the counting of votes will take place on February 8. As per the final electoral roll of Delhi, the national capital has 1,55,24,858 voters. The number increased by 1.09 per cent since the publication of the October 29, 2024, draft of electors. Delhi has 70 constituencies (58 General and 12 SC seats).

(With inputs from agencies)