PM Modi sounds poll bugle in Delhi; takes ‘Sheesh Mahal’ swipe at Arvind Kejriwal — ‘AAPpda ko hatana hai…'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday sounded the poll bugle for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of next month's Delhi Assembly Election 2025 by launching a scathing attack on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and its national convenor, Arvind Kejriwal. Without naming anyone, Modi accused the AAP government of pushing the national capital into a ‘disaster’ in the last 10 years of its rule. 

Modi accused the AAP government of blocking Union government's benefits for people of the national capital and took an indirect swipe at Arvind Kejriwal for building a ‘Sheesh Mahal’ for himself while he was the chief minister of Delhi. 

"In the last 10 years, Delhi has been surrounded by an 'AAPda' (disaster). By keeping Anna Hazare at the front, a few dishonest people have pushed Delhi towards a disaster. People of Delhi have pledged that they will no more tolerate this AAPda ...," the prime minister said using an AAP pun while addressing a public meeting at Ashok Vihar's Ramlila Ground.

Modi's address is being seen as the launch of BJP campaign for Delhi Assembly Election 2025. The elections to the 70-member Delhi assembly are expected to be held in February.

The Election Commission of India has not announced the dates yet. The term of the current assembly in Delhi expires on February 23, 2025.

Modi accused the AAP government in Delhi of indulging in scams in liquor, education and health. He also slammed the AAP government for not spending the Central government funds meant for education in the national capital.

“The whole country knows this. Modi never built a home for himself. But in the last 10 years, I made sure that I built houses for four crore countrymen. I could have built a Sheesh Mahal for myself. But I chose to build houses for my people and fulfil their dreams,” Modi said in an apparent attack on former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal. 

AAP, an AAPda: PM Modi

Modi was referring to the Civil Lines bungalow, where Kejriwal stayed while he was CM, and referred to as ‘Sheesh Mahal’ by the BJP over the alleged corruption charges.

Earlier, Modi inaugurated a slew of developmental projects in the national capital on January 3, ahead of assembly polls. He inaugurated 1,675 newly constructed flats for the dwellers of JJ clusters and also handed over keys to beneficiaries at Swabhiman Apartments in Ashok Vihar, Delhi.

"The year 2025 will give a new direction to the good governance in the national capital... New politics of public welfare and nation welfare will begin this year and hence, 'AAPda ko hatana hai, aur BJP ko lana hai'..." Modi said. 

When is Delhi Assembly Election 2025?

The Aam Aadmi Party, led by former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, is seeking to retain power in Delhi for a third time. The party won assembly elections in 2015 and 2020. The AAP won 67 seats in 2015 and 63 in 2020 in the Delhi Assembly.

The AAP has released candidates for all 70 seats in Delhi. So far, the Congress has released the names of 47 candidates in its two lists. The BJP, which has not been in power in the national capital for 27 years, has not announced its candidates yet.

Modi also laid the foundation stone of Veer Savarkar College at Roshanpura, Najafgarh, which will have state-of-the-art facilities for education besides an academic block in East Delhi and an academic block in Dwarka.

Hindutva ideologue Veer Savarkar is a venerated figure for the Centre's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.