Kejriwal ticks off BJP amid proposal to rename Ramlila Maidan after Vajpayee

New Delhi, Aug 25: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal took potshots at the BJP on Saturday, saying a reported move to rename the iconic Ramlila Maidan after the late Atal Bihari Vajpayee would not fetch it votes, but “changing the name of the Prime Minister might”.

“Renaming Ramlila Maidan and others after Atal ji won’t fetch you any votes. Instead, the BJP should try changing the name of the Prime Minister. Maybe then they could get some votes because now people are not voting for (Narendra Modi),” the AAP national convenor said in a tweet.

The CM was referring to reports that the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) has proposed to rename Ramlila Maidan — from where Kejriwal emerged on the national stage during Anna Hazare’s anti-corruption movement — as Atal Bihari Vajpayee Maidan.

When contacted, an NDMC spokesperson said the proposal might be tabled at the civic body’s meeting on September 30.

However, Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari denied any such proposal by the saffron party-run body. “Some people are trying to spread rumours that the name of Ramlila Maidan will be changed. However, that is impossible because we worship Lord Ram. This is fake news, merely political conspiracy of some leaders of the country and nothing else,” he said.

The purported move comes amid plans in several BJP-ruled states to build memorials for party patriarch Vajpayee who passed away on August 16.