Even my enemy believes I'm not corrupt: Kejriwal

Chandigarh: AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday stepped up his attack on the BJP-led Centre, alleging he was arrested as the ruling party wanted to project him as a "chor" (thief) but even his "fiercest enemy" believes he is not corrupt.

The former Delhi chief minister held a roadshow in the Rania assembly constituency in Haryana's Sirsa in favour of Aam Aadmi Party nominee Harpinder Singh for the October 5 state assembly polls. Kejriwal resigned as the chief minister of Delhi after being released from the Tihar Jail last week following his bail in the excise policy case by the Supreme Court.

Addressing a gathering during the roadshow, Kejriwal said he had to spend five-and-a-half months in the jail for no reason. "What was my fault? My fault is being the chief minister of Delhi for 10 years, I set up good government schools for children of the poor. Earlier, there were power cuts for 7-8 hours in Delhi. But, now there is round-the-clock electricity. My fault is that I made electricity free in Delhi and Punjab," Kejriwal said.

"My fault is that I started a free 'tirath yatra' for elderly people. So many works were carried out in Delhi and Punjab. No corrupt person could do these," he said. Kejriwal said his government made electricity free in Delhi which involved a huge amount of money -- "Rs 3,000 crore". "Had I been a 'chor' (thief), I could have put Rs 3,000 crore in my pocket," he said.

"I set up good schools for children of the poor. It involved expenditure. Had I been corrupt, I could have put it in my pocket," he said. Attacking the BJP, he said electricity is quite costly in every state the party is in power. "Electricity is not free in Haryana, it is very costly. I want to ask you who is a 'chor' -- the one who makes electricity free or the one who makes electricity expensive."