Couples keep 'date' with Kejriwal on Valentine's Day

New Delhi, Feb 14: Ramlila Maidan on Saturday had a distinct whiff of love for a large number of Delhi's young couples who chose to spend the Valentine's Day by keeping a "date with Arvind Kejriwal".

While for some couples the choice was not difficult considering their admiration for the Delhi Chief Minister, for many others it was akin to walking a tightrope. 22-year-old Shekhar Singh put it best when he said, "I wanted to spend Valentine's day with her but I also could not afford to miss a moment as historic as this. So I popped the idea of celebrating it here and thankfully she agreed."

AAP, as a party, has a large base of young supporters, so it was not hard to spot volunteer couples standing cheek by jowl in the crowd, sporting trendy "mufflerman" sweatshirts and the ubiquitous party cap.

"We were a part of the anti-corruption movement so his swearing-in is more important for us than anything else. It is no less a moment of success for us as well," 23-year-old Urvashi said, as her boyfriend Sachin chipped in.

"We support his principles and we are here to show solidarity," he said. Specially crafted heart-shaped placards bearing messages such as "Arvind, India Loves You" were also abound in the crowd going with the mood.

Also seen in the crowd were a substantial number of married couples who chose to celebrate the day at the historic venue on the occasion.

Ranjita Gulbani, who came along with her husband PC Gulbani and their daughter to witness Kejriwal's swearing-in, said, "I think this would be our most memorable Valentine's Day. We knew that we could not have gone to any other place before attending Kejriwal's oath-taking ceremony. It is going to be a part of our memories."

But not all was lost for the lovelorn as they sought solace terming Delhi as their 'Valentine'. "This Valentine's Day is for my love, Delhi," said Nilotpal Bansal, a long time supporter of Kejriwal.

PTI