Flight of democracy: Arvind Kejriwal releases white pigeon before filing nomination from Varanasi
Varanasi: Describing the Lok Sabha polls as a fight to "save democracy", Kejriwal appealed to the people here for "bringing change" in the political system and root out corruption.
"Please do not allow yourself to be betrayed here in Varanasi. This is not my fight. This is a fight for all those who dream of a corruption-free India. This is a fight for getting good roads in Banaras. This is a fight to rid the Ganga of pollution," the AAP leader said amid cheers by his supporters.
Addressing a road show at Azad park in the heart of Varanasi, Kejriwal came down hard on both Rahul Gandhi and Narendra Modi accusing them of spending huge sums of money to win the elections and exhorted people to defeat both the leaders.
The AAP leader's cavalcade took almost two hours to cover a distance of around 2 kms as large crowd greeted him along the way to District Magistrate's office.
Kejriwal, who has challenged Modi, said that when he was campaigning in Amethi for fellow party leader Kumar Vishwas, people told him that Gandhi family has "betrayed" them as no development work has taken place in the constituency for the last 30 years.
"They said what is the use of voting for Rahul Gandhi who is only seen in helicopter," Kejriwal said addressing hundreds of supporters.
The AAP leader also attacked Modi for his proposed visit to Banaras Hindu University to pay tribute to Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya's statue before filing nomination here on Thursday.
"Malaviyaji, never allowed any political person or police to enter the BHU campus. But tomorrow Modi and scores of his supporters and large number of security personnel will enter the university campus. It would be against the principles of Malaviyaji," Kejriwal said.
"From BHU, the BJP leader will take a chopper to go to Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith. It is surprising. Why can't he travel by road to Kashi. He would have know the state of the city...People of Varanasi will have to decide what kind of democracy they want," he said.
The road show triggered massive traffic jams across the city.
Last month Kejriwal had announced to contest in Varanasi after BJP's decision to field Modi from the city, considered one of the most prestigious constituencies in Uttar Pradesh.
Kejriwal, who had led his fledging AAP to a spectacular victory in the Delhi Assembly polls in December last year, has been trying to replicate the "successful Delhi campaign model" here by holding scores of road shows and corner meetings across Varanasi.
Hundreds of AAP volunteers are also visiting door-to-door to garner support from people in this holy city where BJP has been running an "aggressive campaign" to consolidate its vote bank.
