Kejri-Modi ‘face off’ in UP

• ‘Next govt won't be formed without AAP support’
• AAP eyes atleast 100 seats in Lok Sabha elections
• To visit Gujarat to see Modi’s development claims
• Modi wave only on TV due to 'paid opinion’ polls

New Delhi: AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal is contemplating to take on BJP Prime Ministerial candidate, if the latter contests from Varanasi parliamentary constituency in Uttar Pradesh. The former Delhi Chief Minister has clearly set his sights on the top-most post of Prime Minister, after he has achieved the ambition of becoming the Delhi Chief Minister.

According to party sources, the decision in this regard will be taken at the Political Affairs Committee (PAC), the high policy-making body of the Aam Admi Party.

In Uttar Pradesh, the AAP is keen to raise the poll pitch in favour of AAP. Kejriwal has made it known that Kumar Vishwas will take on Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi in Amethi. Now, with Kejriwal set to take on Modi, the strategy appears to be to raise the poll pitch in Uttar Pradesh, which returns 80 MPs. By sharpening the attack on the rival, AAP feels it will lead to polarization that may ultimately benefit the party.

It may be recalled that during the Delhi Assembly elections, Kejriwal chose to contest against incumbent Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit in New Delhi Assembly elections and defeated her. AAP sources say that Kejriwal can repeat the feat in Varanasi against Modi. At his rally in Kanpur, Kejriwal has already indicated that he will visit Gujarat next week to see the claims of development made by Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi. “I will visit Gujarat from March 5 to 8 to see the development claimed there,” he said.

Kejriwal said there is no Modi wave and he said it was merely a creation of the media. “When we left Delhi, we heard of a Modi wave because of 'paid opinion polls'. I said, let's see. And we've met hundreds of people, there is no such thing. The Modi wave is a creation of the media, it's a wave on TV,” Kejriwal said.

Kejriwal claimed that his party will secure 100 seats in Lok Sabha election and that the next government cannot be formed without its support as he launched a fresh attack on Narendra Modi over his alleged links with Mukesh Ambani.

Addressing a rally here as part of a three-day road show in Uttar Pradesh, he accused Modi of maintaining silence on FDI in retail and accused BJP in Rajasthan of getting into a "setting" on the issue of Robert Vadra's land deal.

He also did not spare the ruling Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh saying that there have been more than 100 riots in the state in the last two years.

"Only AAP can give an honest government. If you all, Hindus, Muslims and people from other castes come together and do not come under the poisonous influence of other parties, then I can assure you that this time your (people's) government will be formed in the Centre.

"AAP is going to get at least 100 seats in the Lok Sabha elections. Moreover, we are going to get more seats than Congress. At least the government in Centre will not be formed without AAP's support.

"AAP will help in forming the central government and we will change the face of the country," said the 45-year-old former Delhi Chief Minister.