Gujarat AAP candidate's photo consuming liquor puts party on defensive

Ahmedabad, Sep 8 After the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) announced Kalpesh Patel as the party's Vejalpur (Ahmedabad city) constituency candidate, his old photos allegedly showing him consuming liquor and partying with friends surfaced on Thursday.

His political opponents have seized the opportunity to target the AAP and its candidate.

Launching a scathing attack on the AAP, Gujarat BJP spokesperson Rutvij Patel has questioned the AAP, saying whether the latter's convenor Arvind Kejriwal is going to lift liquor prohibition in Gujarat.

Patel alleged, "One AAP candidate is seen in a photograph enjoying a liquor party, another party candidate is facing allegations of being involved in a Rs 300 crore scam. Its one leader is anti-Gujarat and had misled tribal community against the Narmada project. AAP leaders and their party believes in double standards. People of Gujarat will never vote for such candidates and party."

Defending Kalpesh Patel, AAP spokesperson Yogesh Jadvani said, "Can anyone prove that Kalpesh was drunk in Gujarat, the socialising might be out of Gujarat or even out of country, prohibition is in Gujarat, not outside."

Slamming the BJP, the AAP spokesperson said that the BJP stands exposed in the health, education and infrastructure sector so it is not interested in discussing core issues. It is targeting political opponents and candidates on personal issues to malign them.