Delhi Assembly Elections: Kejriwal, Yogi Spar Over Yamuna, Development

Uttar Pradesh chief Minister Yogi Adityanath lambasted the Delhi chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal describing the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) as the biggest roadblock for the development of Delhi. The UP Chief Minister said that AAP was singularly responsible for the pollution in the Yamuna river.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on the other hand, assured residents of the national capital that the Yamuna would be cleaned up over the next five years if the AAP is re-elected. The AAP chief said that residents can take a dip in the Yamuna by the time his government completes its second term, if re-elected.

Kejriwal promised the construction of permanent ghats along the river to help pilgrims especially for Puja ceremonies during the Chath festival.

The AAP chief has been cautious in his approach as seen in the campaigning style he adopted for the upcoming Delhi assembly elections. He has studiously refused to let his party get drawn into any controversy, especially with regard to Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

Despite repeated questions on the contentious CAA and his party's stand on it, the AAP supremo stood his ground insisting that the focus for the assembly elections would be on development and not issues like CAA and NRC. When asked whether he backed the protests against CAA at Shaheen Nagar in the national capital, Kejriwal replied to media persons that he stood by the people of Delhi from all areas, evading a direct response.

The BJP campaign, spearheaded by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister, Amit Shah, among others, has been trying to shift the focus of the upcoming Delhi assembly polls to Shaheen Bagh protests and national issues like CAA. The BJP's candidates from Model Town and Hari Nagar constituencies, Kapil Mishra and Tajinder Singh Bagga have received notices from the Election Commission for their controversial comments and posts on social media.