Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday attacked his Assam counterpart Himanta Biswa Sarma for doing “nothing” for his state, of “not” knowing Assamese culture while inviting Sarma for tea with him in Delhi to show him the “grand” schools and mohalla clinics the AAP government has set up in the national capital.

In between, Kejriwal, addressing his first rally in the state as chief minister along with Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann, urged the people to vote for the AAP if they want the type of development taking place in Delhi and Punjab. He also targetted Prime Minister Narendra Modi without taking his name over issues related to the latter’s educational qualification, asking the gathering whether the country needs an educated PM or not.

The AAP national convener, without referring to the threat issued by Assam chief minister on Friday to file a defamation case against him if he raises corruption issues against Sarma at the rally in Guwahati, repeatedly attacked Sarma in his 24-minute speech at the Sonaram Field here.

Kejriwal pointed out, “Himanta Babu’s sarkar (BJP-led govt) came in 2016, my govt came in 2015. We changed Delhi in seven years... school, hospital, electricity, water, roads. Shandar (grand) Delhi bane di hum ne in seven years. What did Himanta Babu did? He did nothing but only indulged in gandi (dirty) politics. “

“...Himanta Babu has been threatening me on TV for the past two days. Let Kejriwal come I will put him in jail. Am I a terrorist? Why? I want to tell Himanta Babu that you have become the Assam CM but you don’t know Assam’s sanskriti (culture). The people of Assam are very good, very hospitable .... They don’t threaten to send their guests to jail. I request Himanta Babu to learn Assam’s culture.”

“And from this stage, I invite Himanta Babu to have tea with me at my residence when he is in Delhi. If there is time come for lunch. I will show you around Delhi in my car. You did not do anything in seven years but I will show you around, the grand schools we have built, the grand hospitals we have set up,” Kejriwal said.

The not-knowing-Assam culture digs at Sarma was an apparent reaction to Sarma daring Kejriwal on Friday, to accuse him of being corrupt during his Sunday visit.

Sarma had said: “Is there any case against me in the country? I wanted to file a defamation case but Arvind Kejriwal, like a coward, he spoke inside (Delhi) Assembly. So let him come to Assam on 2nd and say that there is a case against Himanta Biswa Sarma. I will sue him right away... let him speak a single word against me, that I am corrupt and next day I am going to file a defamation case, the same thing I have done against Manish Sisodia....”

Sarma had filed a defamation case against Sisodia for accusing him of corruption on the pretext of Covid-19 management when Sarma was the health minister. Sarma became the chief minister in 2021 but the BJP-led government came to power in 2016.

Kejriwal on Sunday did not use the word corrupt but repeatedly mocked Sarma and his government. He and Mann also targetted Sarma’s wife without naming her for running a private school here.

“Just now Mann saab (Delhi chief minister) said someone from his (Sarma) family has set up a private school... reportedly fees is in lakh. The state in which the chief minister’s wife runs a private school, poor people will not get education. In that state private schools will not improve,” Kejriwal said, adding how this can happen in Assam if they vote the AAP.

Sarma has hit back at Kejriwal, who had promised jobs to the unemployed and free power at Sunday’s rally if the AAP was voted to power in Assam. He tweeted, “Mr Kejriwal turned out to be a real coward. He did not raise the fabricated corruption allegations he made against me inside the Delhi Assembly in Guwahati today because his loose conscience would not permit him to get into trouble by speaking lies.”

In another tweet, he asked, “Did Lachit Barphukan provide any hospitality to Aurangzeb? So what kind of hospitality was Arvind Kejriwal expecting in Assam?”

Ahom army general Barphukan had defeated the Mughal forces led by Ram Singh (when Aurangzeb was the Mughal emperor) in the battle of Saraighat in 1671. The Ahoms and Mughals had hostile ties because of the latter’s expansionist designs.

Sarma also punched holes in Kejriwal’s claim that there was no question paper leak in Punjab, “It was most surprising when Mr Kejriwal claimed there is no question paper leak in Punjab. Either he is lying or he is ignorant. Few weeks back, the 12th class board exams in Punjab had to be cancelled because of a question paper leak.”