New Delhi, March 30 (IANS) It was a trip to Gujarat as part of Arvind Kejriwal's "fact-finding" team that "revealed the sham development claims" of BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi and convinced him to fight the Lok Sabha polls, says Ashish Khetan, the investigative journalist turned AAP candidate for the New Delhi seat.
Khetan, 38, who quit his media job to join the Aam Admi Party (AAP) after last December's Delhi assembly elections, says the Kejriwal-led study tour "shook" him and he decided to take the plunge. Khetan, who runs the investigative news portal gulail.com, said in Gujarat they found "immense corruption and deplorable conditions".
"We had formed teams that visited several government departments across Gujarat. Our people found rampant corruption in the departments and amassive staff crunch," Khetan told IANS in an interview.
"Despite the claims of development, the people are living in deplorable conditions. The Gujarat condition seemed similar to the claims of development of (former chief minister) Sheila Dikshit in Delhi. That hurt me a lot," he said.
"So when senior party members proposed that I contest from New Delhi I finally agreed," he said.
Khetan is pitted against Congress heavyweight Ajay Maken and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national spokesperson Meenakshi Lekhi for the April 10 election.
Khetan is the second former journalist being fielded by AAP in Delhi. Ashutosh, a former IBN 7 anchor, is contesting against union minister and Congress heavyweight Kapil Sibal from the Chandni Chowk seat.
Sitting in the party office in Hanuman Road in the heart of the national capital, Khaitan, who knew many of the party members even before AAP was formally launched in 2012, said Dikshit's claims of development in Delhi has not improved the lives of the common man.
He says if elected he will raise the aam admi issues at the national level.
"For me nothing is a local issue. All issues which relate to the aam admi (common man) are on my agenda and I will take them to the national level," he said.
"Water, power, roads, corruption in Delhi Development Authority (DDA), employment and health would be my main focus agenda in my constituency."
The New Delhi Lok Sabha seat covers a huge area. The Lok Sabha constituency covers affluent upscale areas like Jor Bagh and Greater Kailash, to government colonies like Lodhi Road and R.K. Puram as well as slums, including Katputhli Colony. The AAP hopes to tap the large middle class and the slums in the constituency.
Khaitan said MPs are "scared" of raising questions in the house. "They even escape from attending parliament sessions. My party will end this culture and we will raise more and more questions.
"The first thing I will do is to start raising in parliament all the issues which directly relate to people," he said.
"According to a media report, Ajay Maken's presence was just 33 percent in the just-concluded parliament session," Khetan said.
Khetan is confident of getting the votes of AAP supporters in the New Delhi assembly constituency that voted overwhelmingly for Kejriwal in the Delhi elections, routing Sheila Dikshit.
"Definitely, it will benefit me. People of New Delhi assembly constituency are happy with AAP," he said.
Khetan earlier worked in Tehalka as editor, investigation, and in Headlines Today in the English news channel.
'These stupid jokers want to compete with India...', Owaisi took a dig at Pakistan over the wrong picture
All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi has slammed the Pakistani army over a wrong picture. Owaisi taunted that these stupid jokers want to compete with India.
For the first time, India and WHO face to face, our scientists rejected this new suggestion outright
New Delhi: For the first time in the treatment of Coronavirus epidemic, India has rejected the suggestions of the World Health Organization (WHO). India has remained silent in this case, despite being
Two more swine flu deaths in Kashmir
Srinagar, Feb 20 (IANS) With two more swine flu patients dying overnight, four people have so far been killed by the infection in Kashmir.Dr. Parvaiz Koul, head of medicine in the super specialty
Tirupati Prasad Controversy: 'Sanatan Dharma Raksha Board' should be formed at the national level, Pawan Kalyan raised an important demand
Amidst the ongoing controversy over Prasad in Tirupati Balaji temple, Andhra Pradesh Deputy CM and Jansena Party chief Pawan Kalyan has raised the demand for the formation of Sanatan Dharma Rakshan
Lok Sabha Phase 3 Voting: 64.58 percent voting on 93 seats in the third phase, highest voting in Assam at 81.71 percent
In the third phase of Lok Sabha elections, an average of 64.58 percent voting took place on 93 seats in 11 states and union territories on Tuesday. The highest number of votes were
After Imran Khan, now PTI leader Fawad Chaudhary also made fun of the judiciary, know what he said
Imran Khan's party PTI is constantly attacking the government. While pointing fingers at the government, party leaders are not deterred from including the judiciary as well. The latest case is of
India can respond to Chinese antics, and deployment of the heavy security force is possible in remote areas within a few hours
On December 9, the Chinese soldiers who came to infiltrate the Yangtse in Arunachal Pradesh's Tawang district did not expect that more than two hundred soldiers would have to face several hundred
Jaitley to inaugurate 5th national meet on community radio
New Delhi, March 13 (IANS) Information and Broadcasting Minister Arun Jaitley will inaugurate the 5th National Community Radio Sammelan here on Monday at Vigyan Bhavan.The three-day workshop will
HC Notice to Centre on illegal Passports to Foreigners, Indians
New Delhi, Feb 25 (IANS) The Delhi High Court Wednesday issued notice to the external affairs ministry, home ministry and Delhi Police commissioner on a PIL alleging that mass-scale illegal Indian
Pakistan: Big blow to Pakistani people facing an economic crisis, public suffering due to increased oil and ghee prices
Even after the change of power in Pakistan, inflation is not taking the name of decreasing. Rising inflation has loosened the pockets of the citizens of Pakistan. Meanwhile, on Wednesday, the
