In an important announcement for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Gujarat, Aam Aadmi Party National convener Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday nominated the jailed tribal leader Chaitar Vasava as the party’s nominee from Bharuch Lok Sabha constituency.

Vasava is MLA from Dediapada in Narmada district representing the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

Accompanied by his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann, Delhi Chief Minister and AAP National Convenor on Sunday addressed the public rally held at Netrang in Bharuch during his two day visit to the state.

Kejriwal expressed distress and claimed that the case against their leader Vasava and his wife was fake.

“They fabricated a case against Chaitar Vasava, a son of the Adivasi community, and arrested him. The Aam Aadmi Party is our family, and Chaitar Vasava is like our younger brother. What pains me the most is that besides Chaitar Vasava, they also arrested his wife, Shakuntala, who is also a daughter-in-law of our society. They arrested our daughter-in-law as well. This is disrespectful to the entire Adivasi community. The entire society should come together to seek justice for this humiliation,” Kejriwal said.

He said that Vasava is an emerging leader of the Adivasi community, and alleged that the BJP wanted to crush him, to send a message to the entire tribal society that if any youth dares to raise their voice, they will crush them too.

“The BJP is afraid that if Chaitar Vasava progresses further, he will speak for the rights of Adivasis and start advocating for their rights,” Kejriwal alleged further.

The AAP national convenor claimed that Vasava’s only fault is that he was ensuring the rights of the poor, laborers, and the Adivasi community.

“When the forest department tries to acquire land belonging to the Adivasi society, Chaitar Vasava stands with you, protecting your lands. When the forest department officials file false FIRs against people of the Adivasi community, Chaitar Vasava fights for you against the police,” said Arvind Kejriwal.

Kejriwal further informed that he along with Bhagwant Mann will be meeting Vasava in jail on Monday.