NEW DELHI: More than a decade ago, Arvind Kejriwal came into prominence with the 2011 anti-corruption movement launched by social activist Anna Hazare at Ramlil Maidan.
Twelve years later, and 11 years since the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) was formed, the party’s national convenor is back as his supporters and party leaders reiterate the demand for Arvind Kejriwal as the next Prime Minister of the nation.
AAP had organised a rally at the historic ground to oppose the ‘service ordinance’ brought by the central government. But AAP’s show of strength, to press their demand for scrapping the ordinance, quickly turned into a platform as party leaders and supporters once again expressed their desire to see Kejriwal throw his hat in the ring.
According to AAP, more than one lakh people from Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) thronged to the ground.
Speaking to The New Indian, many of the AAP supporters claimed their party chief Kejriwal could stand in front of PM Narendra Modi, who looked invincible despite two terms in office.
Presenting Kejriwal’s case, AAP leaders and supporters, meanwhile, claimed that CM Kejriwal has the full potential to run the country.
Delhi Health minister Saurabh Bhardwaj said, “Of course people like their leader and they would want to see their leader take over the highest post.”
“Obviously, I would also want (CM) Kejriwal to become PM, but this battle (against ordinance) is not for making Kejriwal PM; this battle is to restore constitutional, legal rights of state governments,” the MLA from Greater Kailash added.
AAP leader and Rajendra Nagar, Durgesh Pathak said, “This is the anger of the people you saw today. They came here in this scorching heat against the central government.”
On the question of people wanting CM Kejriwal to become PM, he said, “Today the Kejriwal model is being discussed across the country. Wherever he goes, whether it’s Madhya Pradesh or Chhattisgarh, people say if he can run Delhi, he can run their state as well.”
While the leaders may be more circumspect in their response owing to the complex dynamics of ‘opposition unity’, the party supporters are more to the point.
Vijay Kanojia, a supporter who came from east Delhi, said, “CM Kejriwal can become PM of the country. He has changed Delhi. He has done a lot of things and he has the full potential to run the country. He has led our national capital and he can lead our nation too.”
Kanojia said CM Kejriwal has worked on basic amenities and that’s what a common man wants. “We want to see him as our PM,” said Kanojia.
A woman supporter, Preeti, who works as an accountant in a company, said: “I want to see CM Kejriwal as PM because he is an educated person. We want to give him more power, that’s why we gathered here today.”
An elderly AAP supporter said, “If a person like Kejriwal becomes Prime Minister, the country will be back on track. See the inflation and rates of the cylinder. In fact, other parties are learning from the AAP. Other parties have now started giving freebies,” he said, adding, “We want Kejriwal as PM”.