Arvind Kejriwal Woos Deras, Eyes Religious Vote Bank In Punjab

Patiala:  With elections in Punjab less than a year away, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal dashed off to Patiala on Wednesday to meet a Sikh religious preacher to mourn the death of his associate who was shot last week. Mr Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party has alleged that the attack reflected the poor law and order situation in Punjab and the state was not even safe for religious preachers.

Mr Kejriwal spent a good 30 minutes with Sikh preacher Bhai Ranjit Singh Dhadhrian Wale at his sect headquarters on the Patiala-Sangrur highway. The preacher was attacked on 17th June when his motorcade was passing through Ludhiana, killing one of his aide. His sect has lakhs of followers both in Punjab and overseas. Opposition party leaders are making a beeline to meet the preacher, and now AAP has joined the queue hoping for political support.We condemn the attack, Kejriwal had come to convey this… the Badal government has failed on law and order front,” said AAP spokesperson Sukhpal Khaira . Although both senior and junior Badals have met the religious leader in the past, Wednesday’s meeting didn’t go down well in the Akali ranks.

Shiromani Akali Dal spokesperson Mahesh Inder Singh Grewal told NDTV, “Instead of worrying about Punjab’s law and order situation, Arvind Kejriwal should work for power and water problems in the national capital.”This was Mr Kerjiwal’s second visit to a dera in Punjab. During his tour in March, the Delhi chief minister had met chief of Dera Sachkhand Ballan in Jalandhar