'Stop Crying, Congress Is Hope For BJP, Not Goans': Arvind Kejriwal Hits Back At Chidambaram

Taking to Twitter, Kejriwal said, "Stop crying sir. Cong is hope for BJP, not Goans.15 of ur 17 MLAs switched to BJP. Cong guarantee- every vote to Cong will be safely delivered to BJP. "

New Delhi: A war of words broke out between Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Congress veteran P Chidambaram over the upcoming Goa election on Monday.

Chidambaram said the AAP and the TMC would only "fracture" the non-BJP vote in Goa while Kejriwal asserted that the Congress was the hope for the saffron party and not for the people of Goa.

Taking to Twitter, Kejriwal said, "Stop crying sir. Cong is hope for BJP, not Goans. 15 of ur 17 MLAs switched to BJP. Cong guarantee- every vote to Cong will be safely delivered to BJP. To vote BJP, route through Cong for safe delivery."

Chidambaram's remarks came a day after Kejriwal said AAP was ready to be part of a coalition government in Goa if the February 14 election threw up a fractured mandate.

On Monday, Chidambaram, the Congress's top poll observer for the Goa polls, urged Goans to vote for a regime change and the Congress.

"My assessment that the AAP (and the TMC) will only fracture the non-BJP vote in Goa has been confirmed by Mr Arvind Kejriwal. The contest in Goa is between Congress and BJP," he was quoted by PTI in its report.

"Those who want a regime change (after 10 years of misrule) will vote for the Congress. Those who want the regime to continue will vote for the BJP," Chidambaram said in a series of tweets.

Goa Election 2022

A total of 40 constituencies in Goa will be going to polls to elect the MLAs for the next Goa state assembly. Goa Assembly Election will be conducted in one phase on February 14, 2022.

Goa Assembly Election 2017

Goa elections were last held on February 4, 2017, with Congress emerging as the single largest party with 17 MLAs. The election results threw up a hung assembly in the state with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) winning 13 seats in the 40-member assembly.

BJP managed to form the government with support from regional parties and independents.

However, the BJP formed a government forging an alliance with the support of the Goa Forward Party (GFP), Maharastrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), and two Independents, to reach the magic figure of 21 in the 40-member house.