Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, back in the city after a throat surgery, stressed on the need to tackle the mosquitoes menace on a war-footing cutting across political affiliations in view of the dengue and chikungunya crisis. In a video message, a visibly feeble Kejriwal said he has ordered the procurement of as many fogging machines as needed. He said political sparring over the issue was trivial considering mosquitoes don't bite "a Congress person and spare a BJP supporter".

He appealed to Delhiites to make the initiative a success "like the odd-even scheme". People should come together like they do during Indo-Pak cricket matches, he said. "Mosquitoes don't know who belongs to which party. Leaving politics behind, all should come together to fight the menace. We kept on saying MCD did not perform its duties. But since it has not, let's do it together. Let the Delhi government, MCDs and the Centre work together," the Delhi Chief Minister said.

"Soon after returning, I held a meeting with my Health and PWD minister and told him that if Delhi can tackle this like the way it successfully held odd-even. It surely can. I have ordered him to procure as many fogging machines as needed and to wage a war against mosquitoes for the next few months. We will try to undertake fogging and sprinkle medicines every two days in every locality," he added.

The Chief Minister had gone to Bengaluru on September 13 for a surgery to correct an anatomical abnormality of his oral-pharyngeal and palatal area that was behind his persistent cough.

Kejriwal said doctors have prescribed him rest for the next three-four days but he had to share the message as almost every household in the city has a chikungunya patient and people are in lot of pain.

He also expressed grief over the martyrdom of 17 soldiers in Uri. "Strongly condemn cowardly attack at Uri in which 17 soldiers lost lives. India cannot be cowed down by such attacks," he said in a tweet. "Arrangements have been made, and there is no lack of it in Delhi government-run hospitals, but the problem of mosquitoes has increased. And a lot of politics is happening over this. A mosquito will not differentiate between a Congress and a BJP supporter. And I appeal to Congress and the BJP to come together like Indians do during Indo-Pak matches," he said.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal returned to the national capital from Bengaluru after having undergone a throat surgery for persistent cough. He had had gone to Bengaluru on September 13 and the surgery took place the next day to correct an anatomical abnormality of his oral-pharyngeal and palatal area.

Before leaving for Delhi, Kejriwal thanked doctors of the hospital where he underwent the surgery. "Discharged today after surgery. Thank u so much Kiranji, Dr Shetty n Dr Paul. Can't express my gratitude in words (sic)," Kejriwal tweeted. BJP and Congress have criticised Kejriwal and his deputy Manish Sisodia for "being away" from the national capital at a time when Delhi is grappling with the outbreak of dengue and chikungunya.

Sisodia is also scheduled to return today to Delhi from Finland where he had gone to understand its education system. Earlier this week, Congress had observed 'Bhagoda Diwas', saying Kejriwal and half of his cabinet were "absent" from Delhi. "He is doing well, there is no problem. He is able to talk, but we are restricting him," officials at the Narayana Health City had said after the surgery.