Metal detectors at Churchgate damaged by AAP workers.
Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal is in Mumbai today.
In order to woo the aam aadmi of the city and to drum up support for his party’s Lok Sabha poll candidates, Kejriwal rode in public transport as he kicked off his Maharashtra tour, but the ride was far from smooth.
Kejriwaal, who was donning a Balasahab Tackheray style long tikka on his forehead, was followed by a large convoy which ended up damaging public property.
After landing in Mumbai from Delhi, Kejriwal boarded an auto-rickshaw with two other activists which took them to suburban Andheri station. There he boarded the Mumbai local to reach his destination Churchgate from where he had to go to Nariman point to meet his party’s candidate Meera Sanyal. He was surrounded by slogan chanting supporters who held the station hostage till the time Kejriwal boarded the train.
Mumbai Police personnel found it very difficult to regulate the crowd at the station as many curious onlookers were also trying to get a glimpse of Kejriwal. The former Delhi Chief Minister who has, interestingly, always been opposed to VIP security, has been provided Z category security by the Mumbai police.
According to media reports, Kejriwal not only managed to board a train but also managed to get the much desired window seat on it and had even had commuters greet him at some stations.
Needless to say that the passengers trying to board the slow local from suburban Andheri to Churchgate were inconvenienced as Kejriwal got into the train along with his senior party colleagues and AAP workers.
While a posse of media personnel did manage to board the same compartment as Kejriwal, a protective ring thrown around the AAP leader by his party workers meant there was no interaction with reporters. Incidentally, the formal media interaction Kejriwal had scheduled here this afternoon has been cancelled.
Many people, including some from the media, were almost squeezed in the rush as Kejriwal made his way outside the station to head to a private fundraiser at Nariman Point in South Mumbai.
After reaching Churchgate, while Kejriwal managed to make his way to a car, his supporters faced a hard time as they attempted to follow him. With a large number of supporters finding themselves blocked by the metal detectors installed at the exit of the station, they tried to push through, resulting in three of the metal detectors falling and getting damaged.
While Kejriwal was able to pull up his publicity stunt here too, the question is will he be able to govern again given he cannot control his own men?
