Amritsar: Buoyed over his party’s stunning debut in Punjab politics, AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal today termed the people’s mandate as the “launch of the second freedom struggle”. He said AAP would form the next government in the state after the 2017 Assembly elections.
Addressing mediapersons after paying obeisance at the Golden Temple and tributes to the martyrs at the Jallianwala Bagh, Kejriwal said: “The people of Punjab gave four seats to AAP in the recent Lok Sabha election. It indicates that they are fed up with the politics of the Akali Dal. They are fed up with rising corruption, hooliganism, rampant drug addiction and unemployment. Earlier, the people had no option, but this time, they saw an honest alternative in AAP. They have shown immense faith in us for which we thank them.”
He said the Punjabis had made a huge contribution to the first freedom struggle and going by their mandate it seemed they had taken a lead in the “second freedom struggle” too in which they would together create a new Punjab free from drugs, corruption and unemployment.
He said they had won four Lok Sabha seats despite the fact that they hardly had any resources, time and organisation to fight the elections. “We will gear up for the 2017 Assembly elections in Punjab and fight it with full force,” he said while hoping that AAP would form the next government in the state.
On former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh’s charges against AAP, Kejriwal said he did not want to get involved in the politics of allegations and counter-allegations. “We are here to clean the political system and not to reply to anybody’s charges,” he said.
Replying to a query, Kejriwal denied any tussle within the party’s state unit. “We are new in politics. Party leaders Manish Sisodia and Jarnail Singh will soon tour Punjab extensively and hold meetings with the leaders of state and district units before submitting their report on the basis of which an organisational structure of the party will be set up in Punjab,” he said.
AAP leader Kumar Vishwas expressed gratitude to the people of Punjab for “voting wisely and keeping alive the second freedom struggle”.
Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann said they would take up the issues concerning Punjab as also the party’s agenda in Parliament. He said issues like drugs, education and healthcare would top their agenda.
All four party MPs – Bhagwant Mann, Dharamvir Gandhi, Sadhu Singh and Harinder Singh Khalsa – were present.