Even as Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo Arvind Kejriwal addressed a tribal rally on Sunday, a veritable Twitter war broke out between him and Gujarat BJP President CR Paatil after the latter called him a threat to national security by ushering in “Khalistan-minded people” in his party.
CR Paatil tweeted in Gujarati, “Putting Khalistan-minded people with key responsibilities in his party and demanding Khalistan as a constitutional right, Arvind Kejriwal is a threat to the security of this country.”
In turn, Kejriwal accused the BJP of handing over command of Gujarat to a non-Gujarati. State BJP chief Paatil, who is an MP from Gujarat’s Navsari, was born in Maharashtra’s Jalgaon.
Tweeting in Hindi, Kejriwal asserted, “In Gujarat, BJP did not get one Gujarati for the post of state president? This is an insult to the people of Gujarat. A person from Maharashtra will run Gujarat? This is a huge insult.”
Reacting to CR Paatil’s tweet, AAP’s Gujarat leader Isudan Gadhvi said, “Arvind Kejriwal is a patriotic, honest and humanitarian person. People love Kejriwal for this. Kejriwal gives the best education, medical facilities and safety. We do not need a certificate from you [CR Paatil].”
Meanwhile, Delhi BJP leader Kapil Mishra tweeted in support of Paatil and asked which part of Delhi did Kejriwal come from.
The Delhi Chief Minister was in Gujarat to attend a rally and address ‘Adivasi Sankalp Mahasammelan’ jointly with Bharatiya Tribal Party (BTP) chief Chhotu Vasava, months ahead of the Gujarat Assembly polls. It may be reported that Vibes of India was the first to report that the AAP had struck a poll alliance for the Gujarat polls. AAP had bagged 27 seats in the Surat Municipal Corporation election, which has kindled its hope in Gujarat.
Earlier, the AAP chief had asked the BJP if the Gujarat Legislative Assembly would be dissolved for the announcement of elections in the state next week.
“I have heard there will be early elections in Gujarat. The BJP is afraid of the Aam Aadmi Party? They don’t want to give us time. They feel if we get time till December, we will get a clear majority. But let me tell you, God is with us. You conduct elections now or after 6 months, AAP will win,” Kejriwal had said in a tweet.
Meanwhile, it is another matter that Kejriwal’s visit comes at a time when the AAP government in Punjab is under fire over the clashes in Patiala.