AAP not eyeing 2019 polls, will win Punjab: Kejriwal

Addressing the AAP National Council meeting, Kejriwal also made it clear that he remained opposed to RJD chief Lalu Prasad’s corrupt past and dynasty politics despite hugging him in Patna.

Nine months after he led AAP to a sweeping victory in Delhi, Kejriwal said the growth of the country’s youngest political party was “a miracle in itself”. “We are not here for power politics,” the AAP leader told the delegates at a close-door gathering. “People ask ‘2019 ki race mein ho kya?’,” he said, referring to the next Lok Sabha battle.

“Hum kisi race mein nahin hain. Dilli ki jeet karishma hai’(We are not in any race. The victory in Delhi is a miracle.) We just have to keep working hard and honestly. Don’t run after elections,” he said.

But the CM quickly added that Punjab, which elected the AAP’s all four Lok Sabha members in 2014 and where Assembly elections are due in two years, would be an exception. “All indications are that you (are) going to get the same opportunity in Punjab (as in Delhi),” he said.

Kejriwal also sought to clear the air over the criticism he faced for hugging Lalu Prasad at Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s swearing in at Patna on November 20. He said Lalu Prasad was on the stage. “He shook hands, pulled me towards him and hugged me. And held my hand and raised it. This was projected (widely) and questions were asked.

“We have not formed an alliance (with RJD). We are against his (Lalu Prasad’s) record of corruption and will always oppose it. We are against his dynasty politics. His two sons are ministers. We are against that too,” he said.

Kejriwal added: “I am happy that questions are being asked because people have hope (in AAP), because they think we are different. “Nobody asks (these) questions when other leaders hug Laluji. This is good for us.”

The AAP leader defended his support to Nitish Kumar. “Nitish is a good person. People have told us that Nitish has done good work. We worked against the BJP there and supported him.”

He said in the last 10 months, the AAP had bettered the performance of the erstwhile Sheila Dikshit government.