'Kejriwal anti-national': BJP chief Nadda slams AAP supremo over 'Yamuna poisoning' claim

New Delhi, Jan 30 (PTI) BJP president JP Nadda on Thursday attacked Delhi's ruling AAP over corruption and asked people to make the national capital "AAPda free" in the February 5 polls.

Addressing a poll rally in Krishna Nagar, he also slammed AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal for claiming that Haryana was "mixing poison" in the Yamuna.

Calling Kejriwal "anti-national" for making such an allegation, Nadda said, "He is pitting the people of Delhi and Haryana against each other. He is trying to create panic. This man does not deserve to be in politics." The BJP chief also alleged that the AAP-led Delhi government had been involved in a Rs 8,000-crore scam in Yamuna cleaning projects.

"I can see that you have made up your mind to form a BJP government. This is not an ordinary election, it is an election to change Delhi's fate and image," the Union minister said.

"This election is about freeing Delhi from AAP, which has come to be known as 'AAPda (disaster)'... This election is about freeing yourselves from all the problems you have faced under its tenure," Nadda added.

He also accused the Delhi government of conducting 75,000 fake tests in mohalla clinics.

"As health minister, I am saying that in the mohalla clinics, 75,000 fake tests were conducted, resulting in crores of rupees in corruption. It (AAP government) also committed corruption of Rs 300 crore in medicines and gave tenders to their (leaders') relatives," he alleged.

Attacking the ruling party on civic issues, Nadda said the AAP dispensation had failed in effective administration.

"What has the AAPda done in the past 10 years other than blaming the central government and trying to cover up its mistakes? It has misled the people of Delhi and denied them the benefits of Modi ji's welfare schemes. Its only job has been to pit people against each other while sitting in glass palaces." AAP leaders sought public support by declaring themselves as "kattar imandar (staunchly honest)" but they turned out to be "kattar bhrashtachar (staunchly corrupt)", Nadda alleged.

AAP ministers were in jail in a liquor scam case worth Rs 2,800 crore, he noted.

"These people say 'we have come out of jail'. Someone should tell them that they are out on bail. Their true place is behind bars and they will be sent back to jail after the elections," he warned.

Nadda also alleged AAP indulged in corruption amounting to Rs 28,000 crore in the Delhi Jal Board, Rs 500 crore in panic button installation in public transport, Rs 5,400 crore in ration distribution, Rs 5,710 crore in CCTV camera installation, and Rs 4,500 crore in bus procurement.

"Tell me, have there been water issues under it (AAP government) or not? Were tanker mafia flourishing or not? Kejriwal has turned Delhi into a garbage city. There is garbage outside every home. Dirty water is being supplied to households and drainwater is spilling onto the roads," he added.

Listing the BJP's poll promises, Nadda asked the public to vote for the saffron party and benefit from the central government's welfare schemes such as Ayushman Bharat, which is not implemented in Delhi.

"Any development work that has happened in Delhi has been done by Modi ji. Elect our government and we will provide Rs 5 lakh from Modi ji and Rs 5 lakh from the Delhi government," he said, referring to the insurance cover promised by the BJP in its manifesto.

Elections to the 70-member Delhi Assembly will be held on February 5 and the votes counted on February 8. PTI SJJ SZM SZM