Am ready to fight Narendra Modi, let Varanasi decide: Arvind Kejriwal

Bangalore: Is Narendra Modi afraid of me, asked Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal at a rally in Bangalore on Sunday, regaling the crowd with last week's incidents in Gandhinagar where he was stopped by 'a thousand cops' on his way to meet Modi.

"I though I would ask Narendra Modi a few questions -- prompted by my observations during my four-day visit of the state last week. But a thousand police officers stopped me five kilometres from Modi's house. They said I didn't have an appointment. Do a thousand cops stop every one who tries to meet Modi without an appointment? Did he not have the decency to meet me and offer me a cup of tea? I too have been a chief minister -- be it for just 49 days. I met all, and those I couldn't, were served tea by my daughter," Kejriwal said, keeping up his tirade against corruption at the Bangalore rally.

Satisfying somewhat the clamour to know whether he will contest against Narendra Modi from Varanasi, Arvind Kejriwal said: "I am ready to take that challenge. But I am a small man. I don't have money or power. Let the people of Varanasi and this country give me a ticket. If they decide, I will stand against Modi," Kejriwal said. But he stopped short of giving a definitive reply on this. It remains to be seen whether Kejriwal seeks a referendum at Varanasi.

The AAP leader kept up his chorus against the media, daring it again to reveal the "true story in Gujarat".

He said Modi was not aware of the ground realities in Gujarat where corruption and farmer deaths abound.

"How is Modi different from Robert Vadra and Rahul Gandhi? They all steal land from farmers and give it to industrialists. The Ambanis and the Adanis will rule India from now on," Kejriwal said.