Why BJP offered 5 autorickshaws as 'gift' to CM Arvind Kejriwal

BJP MLAs in Delhi on Thursday turned up at the residence of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to give him five autorickshaws as a 'gift'. The reason? That's a story that goes back to Gujarat.

It all started earlier this week, when Kejriwal was touring Gujarat as part of the Aam Aadmi Party's preparations for the upcoming state polls in the BJP-ruled state. At a gathering in which he addressed auto drivers in Ahmedabad, Kejriwal was offered dinner at the home of one of them.

The driver, Vikram Dantani, came in his auto to pick up Kejriwal from his hotel but on the way they were stopped by Gujarat police citing security reasons. After a heated argument, the Delhi CM continued his trip to Dantani's home under police cover.


That was the backgound for the 'gift' the Delhi BJP MLAs were offering him.

"He has a convoy of 27 vehicles and 200 security personnel have been deployed for his security and yet he enacted a drama by insisting on travelling in an autorickshaw in Gujarat. So, we are gifting him these autos to fulfil his wish of travelling in three-wheelers in Delhi," Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly Ramvir Singh Bidhuri was quoted as saying by PTI.

Why five autos? One autorickshaw will serve as a pilot, one with the tricolour is for the chief minister, another two are for those who will escort him, and one is for his private secretary: the BJP MLAs explained.

Elections are due to be held later this year in Gujarat where the BJP has been in power for the past more than quarter of a century and the Congress is the main opposition. AAP, which now rules Punjab and Delhi, is trying to make serious inroads in the state. The run-up to the polls could see more such 'gifts ' from both sides.