With hours to go before polling, AAP and BJP are scrounging for every help they can get, including the hand of God and godmen. Earlier, Arvind had claimed divine support, tweeting:
महाभारत में श्रीकृष्ण से दुर्योधन ने सेना मांगी थी। अर्जुन ने श्रीकृष्ण का साथ माँगा था। आज भाजपा के पास सारा तंत्र है। हमारे साथ भगवान् है
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) February 5, 2015
following it up with quotes from the Gita:
कर्मण्ये वाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन: – मेरी सभी कार्यकर्ताओं से अपील है – निस्वार्थ भाव से काम करें, फल ईश्वर पर छोड़ दें। इश्वर भला करेंगे
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) February 6, 2015
An incensed BJP hit back, saying that they are not sure whether God is with Kejriwal, but Messenger of God is definitely with the saffron outfit. At a hurriedly announced press conference, Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said Kejriwal is once again lying. “Chor cannot decide if God is on his side,” she hissed. “Only support he has got so far is from Godless CPI-M. Then on what basis can he claim God is on his side? BJP on other hand has the support of Baba Sant Shri Ram Raheem Singh ji Insaan who, as we all know, is a bona fide Messenger of God. Godmen like Baba Ramdev are also with us. I appeal to people not to get swayed by Mr Kejriwal’s lies.”
Fellow minister Piyush Goyal went on to pose ten more questions to the AAP supremo while Ravi Shankar Prasad demanded Arvind’s resignation in advance. In retaliation, Kejriwal did not hesitate to hold back his punches, quipping: “Why are sanghis getting rattled if I take Lord Krishna’s name and quote from Gita? They don’t have monopoly over all of Lord Vishnu’s avatars, do they?”
But, there were some misgivings in the AAP political affairs committee over Kejriwal quoting from the Gita and not from other religious books. Kejriwal was quick to clarify that all religions are dear to him. “Doston, some of you must be upset that I quoted only from Gita yesterday. Nitish ji said he might withdraw support while Prakash ji questioned why I did not mention support of Marx. Of course, CPI-M, TMC, JDU and other secular parties withdrawing support to us will mean .00006% drop in vote share but in a close election, every vote counts. Let me assure you I hold all religious books, including Gita, Koran, Bible, Torah, Zend Avesta, Guru Granth Sahib, Das Kapital, in equal stead,” he said.
(Arvind Tweet translations: Tweet 1: Arjun took Lord Krishna’s support in Mahabharat. Duryodhan took Lord Krishna’s army. Today BJP has administrative army. We have God; Tweet 2: Karmanye Vadhikarasthe Ma Phaleshu Kada Chana: I appeal to AAP volunteers to do your duty, leave outcome to God. He will help you)