Kejriwal's discharge morale boost for AAP, party to step up its game in Delhi

New Delhi, Feb 27 (PTI) The Aam Aadmi Party, which was said to be facing an existential crisis after losing power to the BJP last year, received a shot in the arm after its national convener Arvind Kejriwal was discharged by a court in the excise policy case on Friday.

Allegations of a scam in the AAP's liquor policy was one of the main poll planks of the BJP in the assembly polls, striking at the heart of the identity of the party borne of an anti-corruption movement in 2013.

BJP won 48 seats in the elections, removing the the AAP from power in Delhi, the party's base, after a decade in government.

The Rouse Avenue court's unsparing criticism of the CBI probe has given the Kejriwal and his party new energy.

The court discharged former chief minister Kejriwal, his deputy Manish Sisodia and 21 others in the case, as it pulled up the CBI saying its case was wholly unable to survive judicial scrutiny and stood discredited in its entirety.

AAP leaders claimed the verdict will serve as big morale booster for the party leaders and workers in Delhi. Questions were raised over Kejriwal's absence in Delhi and trying to save Punjab where AAP is in power. "All these questions are settled now and the party will now focus on regaining its space in Delhi," said a senior AAP leader.

In his first press conference after the court's verdict, Kejriwal, a three-time CM, dared Prime Minister Narenra Modi for fresh elections in Delhi, asserting he would give up politics even if the BJP managed to win more than 10 seats.

He also lashed at the BJP government in Delhi, alleging the three crore people of Delhi have suffered the most due to the power lust of the party.

"Visit any part of Delhi now, the roads are broken. Medicines are no longer available in hospitals. Mohalla clinics are being shut down. Schools are in a bad condition. Pollution across Delhi has reached levels never seen before. The Yamuna is in a terrible state," he charged.

He questioned if the BJP has improved anything after coming to power and said that people of Delhi were fed up with it.

AAP's Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh said that Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, and the Aam Aadmi Party stood like a rock against the dictatorship of BJP before, and will continue to stand against it in the future.

The boost in the confidence of the party leaders and workers was visible as they thronged Kejriwal's Feroz Shah Road bungalow as he reached there from court after the verdict.

"Aam Aadmi Party workers erupted in joy as the court’s verdict washed away the stain placed on their ‘kattar imaandar’ (staunchly honest) leader Arvind Kejriwal," said a statement from the party.

All the senior leaders of the party including Sisodia, Delhi unit president Manish Sisodia, MLAs Vishesh Ravi, Kuldeep Kumar among others joined the celebrations at Kejriwal's residence.

The AAP, however, has a tough road ahead, said party leaders.

The party has the immediate challenge of facing assembly elections in Punjab ruled by it. The polls in the state are due in February next year.

Kejriwal who is frequently visiting Punjab may now have an increased focus in taking on the BJP government in Delhi and attacking it on issues of public importance, they said.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will hold a massive public rally at Jantar Mantar on March 1, in which Kejriwal is set to raise the issue of "thousands of contractual employees" allegedly removed by the Delhi government.

Bharadwaj said people of Delhi are distressed by the BJP government’s "anti-people decisions" and want Kejriwal back. PTI VIT VIT SKY SKY