Haryana CM urges Delhi voters to drive away AAP to farther side of Yamuna

Campaigning for the BJP here, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini Tuesday slammed the AAP for "failing" to deliver on its poll promises and asked people to drive away the Arvind Kejriwal-led party to the other bank of the Yamuna.

Saini was addressing a public meeting at Rajinder Nagar, a coaching hub in Central Delhi which was in the eye of the storm last year after three civil services aspirants died in the flooded basement of an institute.

Attacking the AAP government at the meeting, Saini alleged that it has failed to deliver on its promises.

He also held rallies in support of BJP candidates Rajkumar Anand in Patel Nagar and Rekha Gupta in Shalimar Bagh later in the day.

"Kejriwal had promised that his government would help children of poor families become doctors and engineers. Instead, he opened liquor shops in every lane.

"He also promised clean water, but people are struggling with dirty water... Kejriwal promised to make Delhi like Paris, but the roads of the city continue to remain in poor condition. He has failed to fulfil his promises in the past 10 years," Saini said in his address at Rajinder Nagar.

He asked people to take a pledge to oust the "corrupt" AAP out of power and drive them to the far side of the Yamuna. "February 5 is the time to teach them (AAP) a lesson and ensure the lotus (the BJP's poll symbol) blooms in Delhi," the Haryana chief minister said.

He also slammed the AAP government for not implementing the Centre's Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme, stating that the poor are deprived of it.

In a dig at former chief minister Kejriwal, Saini said the AAP supremo has come out of Tihar on "leave" and will return to jail after the election results are declared.

Kejriwal is out on bail in a Delhi liquor policy-linked case.

Responding to Saini's allegations, the AAP in a statement released later in the day said, "The people of Delhi reject such hateful rhetoric. They stand with an honest government, a government that has delivered the lowest unemployment and inflation, the cheapest electricity bills, the highest per capita income, and a revenue surplus budget in the country."  The ruling party in Delhi also demanded that Saini apologise to the country, saying his "failure" in creating jobs in Haryana has "forced the youth to fight and die in Israel's war".

Assembly elections in Delhi are scheduled for February 5 and results will be declared on February 8.