Arvind Kejriwal takes train to Varanasi to take on Narendra Modi in ballot battle

NEW DELHI: Confident that his party would "defeat" BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi in the Lok Sabha polls, Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal today took a train to Varanasi where they are locked in tough electoral battle. Before boarding a three-tier AC coach of Shiv Ganga Express at the New Delhi Railway station where hundred of AAP supporters assembled, Kejriwal expressed confidence that his party would "defeat" Modi and Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi for the "welfare of the country".

"Today, I am going to Varanasi to start a revolution there. I would appeal to the people of Varanasi to help me win. To save the country, I will stay in Varanasi and sometime in Amethi (where AAP leader Kumar Vishwas is pitted against Rahul Gandhi). "We have to defeat Rahul Gandhi and Narendra Modi to save the country from BJP and Congress. And, this revolution will start from Varanasi," Kejriwal told reporters.

The former Delhi Chief Minister entered New Delhi Railway station through a VIP entry gate. When Kejriwal entered the station, he took passengers by surprise and many started clicking his photographs on their mobile phones. AAP sources said more than 400 volunteers from the capital have left for Varanasi today using different modes of transport. A sizable chunk of volunteers had already left for Varanasi and Amethi just after Delhi elections.

"We are expecting many more volunteers as election in other parts of the country get over in the coming phases. Since Varanasi and Amethi are constituencies where voting is scheduled in the last phase, AAP workers from across the country will throng these two constituencies," said a party source. Senior AAP leaders including Manish Sisodia, Gopal Rai and Sanjay Singh have already reached Varanasi. Kejriwal is expected to file his nomination any day between April 22 and 24.