Kejriwal not adopting health scheme fearing Modi's popularity: Shah
New Delhi, Sep 28 : BJP President Amit Shah on Friday slammed Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for not adopting the Centre's Ayushman Bharat scheme, claiming he feared it will increase Prime Minister Narendra Modi's popularity among the people.
"... the Delhi government has started a non-cooperation movement. They may have taken inspiration from Mahatma Gandhi, but they may not have known that it is not the British government but a patriot Modi government at the Centre," Shah said after inaugurating a party office in central Delhi's Karol Bagh area.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader also accused the Kejriwal government of stalling development in the national capital by doing "cheap politics".
"What is the reason that the Ayushman Bharat scheme has not been launched in the city?" Shah questioned.
He said that Kejriwal deprived over one-and-a-half crore people in Delhi of the benefits of the healthcare scheme.
He said that those residing in clusters or unauthorised colonies in Delhi will not get the benefits of the Ayushman Bharat scheme due to Kejriwal's vote-bank politics.
"They are giving excuse that they have built Mohalla Clinics. But can these provide treatment for cancer, stents for heart surgery, knee replacements?"
Taking a dig at the Chief Minister, Shah said that "Kejriwal should first get himself treated at any Mohalla Clinic to come across the reality."
He said that the city's voters would set the account right in 2019. "You should not blame the EVMs (electronic voting machines) then," Shah said.
Attacking Congress President Rahul Gandhi and Kejriwal, Shah said that they feel pain only on issues such as implementation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam and action against Maoists in the country.
"They are pained when we take action to identify illegal immigrants and against Maoist elements. But we are pained when anti-India slogans are raised," Shah said.
He asserted that the BJP government will identify and expel every illegal immigrant from the country after the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
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TN Assembly elections: Eight-month pregnant homemaker wins Thiru Vi Ka Nagar seat for TVK
Chennai (PTI): Before giving birth, she had already delivered a mandate—a symbol of hope for Thiru Vi Ka Nagar.
Echoing Delhi’s 2013 “common citizen” political churn associated with the rise of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), an eight-month-pregnant homemaker, M R Pallavi, has been elected as an MLA from Chennai’s Thiru Vi Ka Nagar constituency, emerging as one of the notable first-time faces of the Vijay-led TVK in the recently held Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.
In the narrow lanes of Thiru Vi Ka Nagar, a steady stream of media personnel has been making their way to Pallavi’s residence—a scene reminiscent of the result day in Delhi when journalists thronged the modest home of Rakhi Birla, who had won from Mangolpuri on an AAP ticket.
Pallavi, 36, a homemaker educated up to class XII, defeated the DMK candidate K S Ravichandran by a margin of 22,333 votes in the reserved Thiru Vi Ka Nagar Assembly constituency.
Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam emerged as the single largest party by winning 108 seats, while DMK and AIADMK got 59 and 47, respectively.
Pallavi’s victory has drawn attention due to her personal circumstances. She campaigned extensively while eight months pregnant, going door-to-door to reach voters.
According to local accounts, she even fainted once during the campaign but continued her outreach.
She has not spoken to the media following her victory, as doctors have advised her to rest. Her husband, Rajesh, briefly recounted her campaign efforts.
A self-professed admirer of actor-turned-politician Vijay, Pallavi joined TVK soon after its formation and is now among its first-time legislators.
Doctors have advised her to be hospitalised around May 20, as she is expecting her second child. Ahead of that, voters in Thiru Vi Ka Nagar have entrusted her with representing them in the state Assembly.
Political observers say the rise of candidates like Pallavi signals a possible shift in Tamil Nadu’s political landscape, with voters backing a new party and candidates from non-traditional backgrounds.
