Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann on Monday, 8 January, paid a visit to jailed Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislator Chaitar Vasava in Gujarat.
Kejriwal and Mann criticised the ruling BJP in the state, saying that its actions were the "peak in authoritarianism".
Mann emphasised that the BJP's stance towards individuals working for public welfare presents a "challenge" for the entire nation.
"Those who work in the public's interest are being targeted and unjustly jailed on fabricated charges by agencies like the ED and the CBI. This kind of authoritarianism cannot last," said Punjab CM Mann.
"We met Chaitar Vasava and Shakuntalaben. They are fine, healthy, their spirits are high, and they will fight and struggle. Ultimately, we have to uproot the BJP from Gujarat, and the public will do this because their tyranny and dictatorship have reached their limit," Delhi CM Kejriwal was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
The visit follows a rally in Netrang, a tribal-dominated area in Gujarat's Bharuch district, where both leaders campaigned in support of Vasava. Kejriwal announced Vasava as the AAP candidate for the Bharuch Lok Sabha seat in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections during the rally.
The seat is currently held by Mansukh Vasava, a former BJP Union Minister.
Chaitar Vasava, a Dediapada legislator, was arrested last year for intimidating forest officials and firing shots during a dispute over land cultivation rights with local tribals. His wife, Shakuntalaben, faces similar charges.
(With inputs from IANS and PTI.)
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