AAP plans to turn BJP’s ‘revdi culture’ attack into election issue

New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is planning to turn around the “revdi culture” attack by the BJP into an electoral issue. AAP leaders claim that the mention of “revdi” has brought greater attention to the freebies their governments in Delhi and Punjab are giving to the people and hence this will help them in Gujarat, as greater attention will be paid to their agenda as they try to put up a fight against the ruling BJP in that state going to the polls later this year.
Earlier this week, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had targeted the Centre by urging the BJP to keep its politics aside and focus on developing schools, hospitals and the entire nation. He also asked the BJP not to call such services freebies.
A source privy to developments in the party indicated that all the events from now on have been designed in such a way that it will include discourse on “revdi” and target the BJP. “The party also has pushed the BJP to battle with AAP on its terms,” a party leader said. Gujarat AAP unit president, Gopal Italiya, told The Sunday Guardian, “Aam Aadmi Party has formed a strategy and the party will follow it. We will do as per our own strategy. Whatever we have planned we always follow that. We don’t get distracted just because other people said something.”
However, a senior AAP leader said, “In Gujarat, there hasn’t been any politics on issues that serve the basic needs of the people and this comment by BJP has put our ‘kaam ki rajneeti’ at the centre-stage of politics, which will help us win in the perception battle.”
The Sunday Guardian tried to connect with BJP Gujarat president C.R. Patil to know about the impact of the “revdi remark” made by the BJP; however, there was no response till the time of going to press. Italiya said, “BJP is responding to AAP because we made a place for ourselves in the state; they have recognised AAP as a force. They have recognised that their fight is with the AAP and they are afraid of it. The fight has become straight. AAP is leading the issues and BJP is countering us.” However, the Congress has termed AAP as a minor player. Congress spokesperson of Gujarat, Manish Doshi, said, “AAP has not come on the centre stage. If media wants to bring it to centre-stage, then it may come to the centre. There is no question of election battle being between AAP and BJP. AAP is the B-team of BJP. They have the same mindset.”