Kejriwal accuses Gujarat CM Anandiben Patel of getting Surat programme cancelled

The Delhi CM has kick-started his party AAP's poll campaign for the 2017 state elections in Gujarat

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today accused his Gujarat counterpart Anandiben Patel of getting his programme in Surat cancelled, as he kick-started AAP's poll campaign for the 2017 state elections here.

Kejriwal, who landed here this morning with his family members, first paid a visit to famous Lord Shiva temple in Somnath before launching the campaign.

The AAP National Convenor was accompanied by party leader Kumar Vishwas and his family.

"My original programme of Gujarat was of two days; today we were to visit Somnath, and tomorrow we had meeting in Surat. But Anandibenji put undue pressure on people in and businessmen in Surat and got our programme cancelled," he told reporters.

"In democracy, everybody has the right to express their views. Ours is a democracy," the AAP chief said.

During the tour, he will also visit some villages of Junagadh, Gir-Somnath and Rajkot district to meet farmers to understand problems faced by them.

Kejriwal's scheduled visit to Surat on July 10 had to be cancelled after a trade body withdrew its invitation, which AAP alleged was at the behest of state BJP government.