BJP will change Constitution and end democracy, says Kejriwal

Visakhapatnam, Mar 31: Of all the prominent leaders invited by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu for an election rally in Visakhapatnam, only Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee turned up.

Kejriwal and Banerjee addressed the election rally seeking vote for Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu's Telugu Desam Party in the state.

The rally was meant to be yet another show of opposition unity. Naidu had invited Janata Dal-Secular president HD Deve Gowda, DMK chief MK Stalin, Nationalist Congress Party president Sharad Pawar, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah among others. But these leaders did not attend the rally.

"I have come here in Andhra Pradesh from Delhi to make an appeal to you, vote Modi out in 2019 election to save the country and democracy. If the BJP wins this election, India will not survive. They will change constitution and end democracy," said Kejriwal at the election rally.'

"This is the most corrupt government in 70 years...Demonetisation is the biggest scam in 70 years," Kejriwal added.

Meanwhile in Karnataka, Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) coalition kicked off the Lok Sabha campaign Sunday which was attended by Rahul Gandhi. He said the aim of both Congress and the JD (S) is to defeat Narendra Modi and the BJP.

Hailing the joint rally of the two coalition partners, Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy said it was a "historic day".

"On May 23, 2018, this coalition government was formed with the intention of ensuring the defeat of the BJP. I want to tell the people that under the leadership of the Congress the regional parties with an eye on development must come together," said Kumaraswamy.

Former prime minister Deve Gowda said the Congress and the JD(S) decided to come together under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi to bring about a change in the country.