Cong bypoll candidate slams Kejriwal for saying 'only ruling party can deliver development'

Ludhiana, Jun 11 (PTI) Congress candidate for the Ludhiana West bypoll, Bharat Bhushan Ashu, slammed AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday over his remarks that only the ruling party "can deliver development" as the opposition leader will not have any resources even if he wins the election.

Replying to a question by reporters, Ashu said this proved that the AAP had "no faith" in democracy and it did not tolerate any opposition.

The Congress leader said what was Kejriwal's authority to say that he would not be able to do anything for the assembly constituency.

"That means he is controlling and dictating the (Punjab) government. He has only vindicated what all of us in Punjab know that this government is run directly by people from Delhi," he said.

On Tuesday, Kejriwal, who held public meetings in Ludhiana along with Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, said AAP candidate, Sanjeev Arora, will be made a cabinet minister if he is elected in the June 19 byelection.

At a public meeting, the AAP chief shared an anecdote: "A person told me he would vote for the Congress candidate because of family tradition. I asked him if your road was damaged, there was no water supply, or you faced any administrative issue, who will resolve it? "The Congress candidate, Bharat Bhushan Ashu, has no power or resources to help. Only the ruling party can deliver development," Kejriwal said.

Addressing a public meeting here on Wednesday, Congress leader Ashu said Kejriwal was scared of him, which is why he is "reciting" his name "hundreds of times", more than he mentions his own party candidate's name.

The senior Congress leader said there are many more candidates in the fray but Kejriwal only mentions his name in his speeches.

"That is why I am saying this with humility and modesty -- the entire AAP leadership led by Kejriwal is scared of me," Ashu said.

They cannot think of anything else other than wondering how to defeat Ashu," he said. Their fears will definitely come true on June 23 when votes are counted, the Congress leader added.

Replying to a question about a former councillor joining the AAP, Ashu claimed that he, too, had been threatened with an FIR.

"You think that by intimidating people and forcing them to join your party, they will support and vote for you?" he said targeting AAP leaders.

He also expressed confidence that those who were "forced" to join the AAP will return on June 19. They will not even wait for the results to be officially declared, he said.

Voting for Ludhiana West assembly bypoll will take place on June 19 and the counting will be held on June 23.

The Ludhiana West assembly seat fell vacant following the death of AAP MLA Gurpreet Bassi Gogi in January. PTI COR CHS SKY SKY