Kejriwal takes the battle against Khurshid to his home turf

Taking the battle to Salman Khurshid's home turf, Arvind Kejriwal today held a rally in this Lok Sabha constituency and asked the voters here not to re-elect him for alleged financial irregularities in the trust headed by the Exteral Affairs Minister.

Arriving nearly four hours late at the rally venue which witnessed scuffles since the morning between Kejriwal supporters and Congressmen since morning, the activist presented some able-bodied people whom he claimed were listed as physically-challenged beneficiaries by the NGO run by the Union Minister and his wife Louise.

"Salman Khurshid had told me you will go to Farrukhabad but how will you comeback? I want to tell him that I am here and will return safely in a few hours," Kejriwal said to the cheers of his supporters.

Kejriwal said he had accepted Khurshid's challenge by coming here and addressing the rally despite his "warning" not to do so.

Following Kejriwal's threat to stage a protest in his home constituency from November 1, Khurshid had said that "let them come and visit Farrukhabad. But let him also return from Farrukhabad." Kejriwal had interpreted the comments as a threat to him.

The activist said "since the demand for dismissal of Khurshid has not been met, I have come to his masters (electorate) here and appeal to them not to vote elect him again as MP", Kejriwal said and asked whether they would forget it as there still remained two years for general elections.

Kejriwal had announced holding the rally after alleging that Zakir Hussain Memorial Trust, the NGO run by Khurshid and Louise, was involved financial bunglings while implemeting schemes meant for welfare of physically-challenged people.

Referring to his march along with a group of physically-challenged people on October 12 in New Delhi, Kejriwal criticised Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for not meeting the group.

"We had tried to meet the PM but police stopped us on ground of security...he (PM) is scared of 60 physically-challenged people. He should resign. I feel pain that this country is being run by such a PM," Kejriwal said.