'Replacing Goel with Harsh Vardhan is AAP win'

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) feels that by replacing Vijay Goel with Harsh Vardhan as Delhi chief ministerial candidate, the BJP has conceded defeat in the assembly elections.

The party says the Dec 4 polls will now be a battle between the Congress and AAP.

"BJP's (Bharatiya Jananta Party) announcement of Harsh Vardhan's name is a clear win for AAP which has been fighting for clean politics. BJP's changing candidate just a little over a month before the elections is as good as conceding defeat. Now the battle is between the Congress and AAP," said party's national convenor Arvind Kejriwal.

He also questioned Harsh Vardhan's silence over burning issues such as women's safety, rising electricity bills and poor water supply in the national capital.

"Harsh Vardhan remained quiet on most of the burning issues like rising electricity tariff, poor water supply and women's safety. As a legislator too, he failed to raise the issue in the Delhi assembly. He was nowhere to be seen raising his voice or fighting for the common man," Kejriwal said.

"Corrupt Congress made Manmohan Singh its face at the centre. But he failed to check corruption within his own government. Similarly, now corrupt BJP has made Harsh Vardhan its face in Delhi. What did Harsh Vardhan do all these years to check BJP's corruption in Municipal Corporation of Delhi? Isn't Harsh Vardhan Delhi BJP's Manmohan," asked Kejriwal.

Another AAP leader Manish Sisodia also questioned the motive behind BJP's decision contending that it showed the BJP has no leader who can fight corruption in Delhi.

"BJP's decision shows they do not have anyone to fight corruption. Harsh Vardhan himself has been praising Sheila Dikshit and said Delhiites were very fortunate to have her. Why is he fighting against her now? For 10 years, people of India saw Manmohan Singh remaining quiet on corruption while Congress kept showcasing his clean image," Sisodia said.

"I am sure people of Delhi would not repeat the same mistake that they will choose Harsh Vardhan as CM who also remained quiet on corruption both by the Congress and the BJP," he added.