Arvind Kejriwal attacks BJP, says it's trying to crush AAP

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday sharpened his attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi challenging his 'revdi' remark and positioned his fledgling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) as the BJP's principal opponent in national politics.

Likening AAP to Lord Krishna who had killed demons at a very young age, Kejriwal showcased his 1,446 elected representatives from 20 states and union territories at Delhi's Indira Gandhi indoor stadium at the party's first national conclave.

"Like Lord Krishna was sent to end evil, God has sent AAP to end corruption, inflation, unemployment and save the Constitution and the country from evils... AAP is just a 10-year-old party. When we started out in November 2012, we did not ever imagine that in such a short time we will be able to fill Delhi's Indira Gandhi indoor stadium with our party's elected representatives," he said.

Kejriwal took the PM head on and challenged the BJP's freebie rhetoric. "Political parties are shocked at how AAP is able to give free power, education, water and healthcare. They are unable to digest or throw up this free revdi. They are saying that state governments are running into debts as they are providing freebies. The Gujarat government has a debt of Rs 3.5 lakh crore. They didn't give anything free over the last several decades. How are they in such a debt? Governments come under debt not by giving freebies but by looting public money," said Kejriwal.

Accusing the government of trying to crush AAP as its development politics is finding favour with people, Kejriwal advised his partymen not to be scared of serving time in prison.