Lok Sabha polls 2014: Arvind Kejriwal fails to rope in former CIC OP Kejriwal

VARANASI: AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday launched his campaign in Varanasi with the declaration: "I have come to start a revolution that will finish Modi and Rahul Gandhi".

Kejriwal arrived in the city in the morning along with his parents Gobind Ram Kejriwal and Gita Devi. While AAP members welcomed him, opponents put up posters terming him as 'bhagoda' (deserter).

In a setback, the AAP leader was unable to persuade former central information commissioner (CIC) O P Kejriwal to support to him. "I told Arvind that it was too late. I told him that I have already given my commitment along with 35,000 supporters to Modi," O P Kejriwal told TOI. The ex-CIC is believed to be the brain behind the newly-floated all-women party — Bharatiya Awam Party (Rashtriya) — that boasts of 35,000 members. Majority of the members of Bharatiya Awam Party are Muslims.

Earlier, Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati, the chief disciple of Shankaracharya Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati of Jyotish and Sharda Dwarka peeths, said he would not meet Kejriwal. During his March 25 visit to city, the seer had asked Kejriwal to use 'broom' to clean corruption in Varanasi and Ganga . "There was no response from Kejriwal," said the seer. After resting at a guesthouse, Kejriwal called on 'Sheher Qazi' of Varanasi Maulana Ghulam Yasin at his residence to woo Muslim voters.