In another major setback to the opposition INDIA bloc, the Aam Aadmi Party on Saturday confirmed that it will contest all the 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab and the one in Chandigarh.
Addressing an event in Khanna, AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal sought people's blessing for the victory of his candidates.
"Two years back, you gave your blessings. Out of 117 seats, you gave us 92 seats. You created history in Punjab,” Kejriwal said.
“Today I again seek your blessing with folded hands. There will be Lok Sabha elections after two months. In Punjab there are 13 (Lok Sabha) seats, one is Chandigarh and there will be 14 seats. In the coming 10-15 days, the AAP will announce its candidates on all these 14 seats. I request you the way you blessed us two years back, get the party to win all these 14 seats," he added.
The Delhi chief minister also lambasted both Congress and Akali Dal, saying people can’t even remember one good work they had done in the state.
"If I ask you today, in 75 years, the Congress ruled for so many years. Tell me one good work the Congress has done. (You) will not remember. If I ask you, Akali Dal ruled for so many years, tell me one good work the Akali Dal has done. (You) will not remember," he said.
Both AAP and Congress are among the major constituents of the INDIA bloc formed to take on the Bharatiya Janata Party ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. The two parties had held multiple rounds of talks on seat sharing in Punjab and contested the Chandigarh mayoral polls together.
Last month, AAP leader and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had dropped strong hints that the party would go it alone in Punjab in the general elections.
"History will be created in the state by 13-0, where 13 seats will be a verdict in favour of pro-people policies of the state government and the Opposition will be badly renounced by people for their anti-Punjab stance,” he had said in Chandigarh on January 17.
