BJP ministers organise Holika Dahan, say it symbolises burning of evil of 'corruption of Congress, AAP'

NEW DELHI: Union ministers Vijay Goel, Prakash Javdekar and Vijay Sampla organised a 'Holika Dahan', saying it symbolises the burning of evil of "corruption of the Congress and the AAP".

Goel said Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal came to power on the plank of Congress's corruption but today his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is eager to forge an alliance with it.

The Union Minister said that in 2013, Kejriwal vowed that he would put former chief minister Sheila Dikshit behind bars within 24 hours of getting elected, alleging she was "smeared with colours of corruption" related to Commonwealth Games, water tankers scam among others.

"Today he has forgotten that he had promised to throw Sheila Dikshit behind bars for corruption. So will he withdraw corruption charges against Dikshit if unholy alliance is formed. On the other side, the Congress, be it led by Ajay Maken or Dikshit, has been accusing Kejriwal of indulging in corruption like CCTV camera scam, low-floor bus scam and ration card scam are prominent among them.

"Now both are trying to form an alliance and this only shows how opportunist both these parties are," Goel said, adding Kejriwal has failed to bring development in Delhi in the past four years and vote to him in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls would be a waste.

Union Minister of Human Resource Development Prakash Javdekar said that people had high hopes from Kejriwal when the Aam Aadmi Party came to power but he has failed the people of Delhi.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been working tirelessly for the people of this country, and the people of Delhi too would have benefitted had Kejriwal not adopted confrontational behaviour," he said.

Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Vijay Sampla said that Kejriwal did not implement various schemes such as Ayushman Bharat and Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana because of which the people of Delhi are not able to avail the benefits of the schemes.

"Kejriwal and Congress both have become the synonyms of corruption," he said.

Days after having unanimously decided to go it alone in Delhi, the Congress is again mulling options to align with the Aam Aadmi Party in the national capital, with NCP leader Sharad Pawar actively involved in getting the two parties together.

Dikshit has earlier made it clear that aligning with AAP will not be in the party's interests keeping in view the assembly election in the national capital slated for next year.