AMETHI, Uttar Pradesh — India's fledging anti-corruption party has now focused its fight in two high-profile parliamentary constituencies in Uttar Pradesh. Both these constituencies — Varanasi and Amethi — have become the real battlegrounds in the 2014 elections. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal is challenging Narendra Modi, the Bharatiya Janata Party's PM nominee in Varanasi and his party colleague Kumar Vishwas is taking on Rahul Gandhi, the vice-president of the Congress party, in Amethi. Campaigning for Vishwas in Amethi, Kejriwal advised residents to accept anything given to them by political parties but vote for his party. Speaking at a public meeting in the congested Shula Bazaar area of Rani gang, Kejriwal, who is on the second day of his roadshow in the Gandhi bastion, said, “Elections are here. They will offer you cash, take it. It's your own hard-earned money that they looted in various scams. Take the sarees and blankets they offer, take it all. But don't vote for them. Vote for the jhaadu (AAP symbol). Earlier, he alleged that Modi had a “secret” deal with the Gandhi family and had promised them not to investigate Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law Robert Vadra. “Both BJP and Congress are hand-in-glove,” he said. Kejriwal questioned the series of attacks against both of them. “How is that I am attacked by the BJP and Kumar has been attacked by the Congress? You never hear of Congress attacking Modi or BJP people attacking the Gandhi family. They are in cahoots,” he said. Seeking votes for Vishwas, Kejriwal said, “After the election, Rahul will not come back, and Smriti Irani (BJP candidate from Amethi) will go back to doing her soap operas.” — Agencies
