L-G decision an attempt to finish off AAP: CM Arvind Kejriwal

New Delhi: Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday described lieutenant-governor Anil Baijal’s move to shut down the AAP’s only office in the national capital as “injustice”. The Friday’s decision was an attempt to finish off the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), but this would never succeed, a combative Mr Kejriwal said. He said the party is being “victimised” for taking on the ruling mafia and siding with the poor, and asserted the party is ready to operate from the “streets”.

Mr Kejriwal said the AAP was not just the ruling party in Delhi, but a state-recognised party which had every right to have an office in the city. “We had an office... We have done no wrong. We are not begging for an office. We have a right to have an office,” he said. Asked about Mr Baijal’s decision, he said: “It is injustice.” The office allotment to the AAP by the Kejriwal government was cancelled by the L-G on Friday after the Shunglu Committee pointed out “irregularities” in the allotment. The AAP has denied the charge.

The AAP leader said it was ironical that the Congress, with no seat in the Delhi Assembly, not only has its national headquarters in Delhi, but a separate office in the national capital too. It had two other offices as well, besides a plot of land in Delhi, he added. “But a party with 67 of the 70 seats in the Assembly now has no office.”

Similarly, Mr Kejriwal said the BJP and its affiliates have a total of seven offices in the capital, including one for its Delhi office.

Even parties like the RJD and BSP had offices in Delhi, he pointed out. “So why are they doing this to us? What is our crime?”

Mr Kejriwal said the AAP had become a target of all the “mafias” it had taken on, including the electricity and pharma companies, water tankers and private schools.

 “Every day new lies are hurled at us. These have no head and no tail... They want to finish us off. It won’t happen.”

Mr Kejriwal said since the shutting down of the AAP office, he has been flooded with invitations from people in Delhi offering the use of their premises for the Aam Aadmi Party.

“The people will take revenge on April 23 (when the municipal elections take place),” he added.