Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal

NEW DELHI: A day after the poor show in Delhi's municipal elections, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal warned his newly elected councillors against defecting from the party and made them swear in the name of god that they wouldn't betray the “movement“.

In an address to the corporators on Thursday, a video of which was later released, Kejriwal asked them to repeat after him an “informal“ pledge: “As god is my witness, I swear I will never betray my pure party and this movement.“

“Betraying the party would be like betraying god,“ he said, adding that those who leave for money would never be happy in life. “God will extract twice or thrice that amount from you,“ he said. The Delhi CM alleged that the BJP would try to lure the corporators with money but they must be firm and honest in their commitment to AAP.

Kejriwal's first address to councillors came a day after the results of a high-voltage election where BJP swept all three corporations with 181 seats and AAP ended a distant second with 48 wards.

“MCD does not have an anti-defection law. BJP will try their best to break you away from AAP. You must keep your recording devices on so that if something like this happens you can record it and send it to us and we can make it public,“ Kejriwal told the councillors.

With deputy CM Manish Sisodia by his side, Kejriwal began by invoking the India Against Corruption days and the birth of AAP.

“This party was born out of a movement against corruption. It is because of the hard work of volunteers and their sacrifices that this victory (municipal polls) has been possible even though this a new party. Otherwise it would be impossible for a new party to save its security deposit on any seat but in case of AAP people have grown to respect it,“ Kejriwal said, seemingly rejecting the assertion that the municipal poll results reflect a downslide in AAP's fortunes.

Referring to the MCDs, Kejriwal told the councillors that about to enter a “den of corruption“. “You have to stay honest and keep an eye on all that's happenings around you and raise your voice against corruption. It is possible that they (referring to the BJP-led Centre) will put you in jail, but you have to be brave to raise your voice against wrong,“ he asserted.

“In other parties, when you contest an election, candidates have to buy their tickets and then have to recover that money. They start getting embroiled in corruption from the day they win and come to power. In your case, you have not bought tickets so you have no liability of that kind. So, you can stay honest and work for the people,“ the CM said.

Speaking of the MCDs, Kejriwal told the councillors to always give priority to the concerns of safai karamcharis. “They are really poor and they need your support.Treat them like your brothers and sisters and pay attention to their needs. You must eat with them and meet them regularly . They will be your biggest support in the long run,“ he added.



In Video: Arvind Kejriwal threatens his councillors after Delhi civic polls loss