On Opposition Unity, Kejriwal Says People Are Supreme In Democracy

Amid efforts towards opposition unity, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday said in a democracy people are supreme and opposition parties should go to them with a positive agenda.

"Opposition unity is not important, people's unity is important," Kejriwal said.

No matter how much some people may try to forge unity among opposition parties, if people have decided to support someone they will vote for that person, he said.

"Second, the agenda should be positive. If everyone says they have come together to defeat someone, then people don't like that. People say defeating anyone or making anyone win is their job and should be left to them," the Delhi chief minister told reporters in Phagwara, near Jalandhar.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and senior party leader Raghav Chadha accompanied Kejriwal during the visit ahead of the Jalandhar Lok Sabha bypoll on May 10. The counting will be done on May 13.

In their presence, former Congress MLA from Jalandhar West Sushil Rinku joined the Aam Aadmi Party.

Welcoming Rinku into the party, Chadha said his presence will boost AAP.

The bypoll was necessitated following the death of Congress MP Santokh Singh Chaudhary (76) in January due to a cardiac arrest.

Responding to a question on the possibility of a "third front" with AAP as its constituent, Kejriwal said, "In a democracy, people are supreme. There's a lot of talk about forging opposition unity. But the day people unite, they will decide what is to be done...what is their mood," he said.

Kejriwal also said that if there is any front — of two, three, four or 10 parties — the alliance will have to put forth a "positive agenda" and people will decide whose agenda they like and who they will vote for.

"So a positive agenda is necessary and second people's unity is important. We have to fight elections to make people win, not defeat them," Kejriwal added.

-With PTI Input