NEW DELHI: The people of Delhi know why Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was arrested and will respond on the voting day, says AAP’s West Delhi candidate Mahabal Mishra in an interview with Prabhat Shukla. Excerpts
Your plans for developing the West Delhi area?
The West campus of Delhi University is needed to cater to aspiring students, as it takes two and a half hours to reach the North Campus. I will work on setting up more hospitals, expanding the metro to connect Najafgarh to Dhansa, Nangloi, and Jaipur road, and procuring land to build public parking. I also plan to open a skill centre in every assembly to make youth employable
How do you challenge rival Kamaljeet Sehrawat from the BJP?
Her experience is limited to one year as a councillor and mayor of the SDMC. The area under a councillor is tiny, and they have no say in policymaking. On the other hand, I have been a councillor, three-time MLA, DDA member for 12 years, and an MP. I can start working from the very first day, while she will take five years to learn the ropes.
Purvanchalis make up a significant share of the electorate. How confident are you of winning them?
Purvanchalis had difficulty in obtaining ration cards and getting their children admitted to schools. I had fought for these rights back then. I also helped to formulate a policy for unauthorised colonies and got the Chath festival included in the pilgrimage committee besides ghats for Chath. I am sure I will reap some benefits
Is the alliance between Congress and the AAP helping on the ground?
I have received support from everyone associated with the INDIA bloc, including Congress party workers. We are contesting the elections as one force.
Will the current turmoil within the Delhi Congress affect outcomes?
In Delhi, the distribution of tickets was decided internally by each party’s high command. If some individuals are unhappy with this, it is their business. I have nothing more to say.
Will Kejriwal’s arrest impact the elections?
Delhiites are deeply saddened by Kejriwal’s arrest. They sympathise with him and know that he is innocent.
Many senior AAP leaders are behind bars, and the BJP calls your party corrupt? Your comment
They (BJP) are afraid that the AAP will rise in other states over the work the done in Delhi which includes free water, electricity, healthcare and free bus travel for women besides promise of Rs 1,000 grant to every woman. So they are trying to contain this expansion by arresting Kejriwal ji. I am sure public understands the ploy.
Turmoil in Congress
The AAP leader stated that the distribution of tickets was decided internally by each party’s leadership. Recently, former Congress president Arvinder Singh Lovely stepped down from the post over giving tickets to outsiders