AAP has also declared its rival candidates, mocks Manish Tewari

New Delhi, Feb 17: A day after

declared its first list of 20 candidates from key Lok Sabha seats, Union Minister

took a dig at the party on Monday saying it is "laughable" that the new political outfit has declared not just its own candidates but those of rival parties as well.

"As far as Aam Aadmi Party is concerned, a very laughable thing is that they declared their own candidates but also those of the rival parties. If they had limited themselves to declaring only their own candidates, it would have been better," Tewari said.

The Information and Broadcasting minister said that all the parties follow some process while declaring their candidates.

However, in a democracy, all are welcome to contest, he said.

From Ludhiana seat, which is currently represented by Tewari, AAP has fielded lawyer H S Phoolka.

Referring to the Delhi government's resignation, the Union minister said that AAP leader Arvind Kejariwal should answer why he did not fulfil promises made to the people.

"These people made tall promises to the electorate of Delhi and when they were given a chance to deliver on those promises, why did they cut and run. This whole politics of shoot and scoot is something that people have seen through," Tewari said adding that rhetoric could never be a substitute for substance.

Tewari also lauded the interim budget presented by Union Finance minister P Chidambaram, saying it bore very eloquent testimony to the manner in which the government had consolidated the economy in the past ten years.

"The fact that we have lifted a hundred and forty million people out of poverty is no mean achievement. The decision of the Finance minister to provide one rank one pension to all ex-servicemen needs to be lauded," hew said.

The I&B minister said that on balance one thing the UPA has demonstrated was that it had not fallen prey to populism, and not sacrificed the consolidation and the stability of the economy.

"So, therefore, when this budget or the vote on account and the developments of the last ten years will be adjudicated, you will find the UPA has not only consolidated but furthered the cause of Indian economy," Tewari said.

PTI