Modi trying to get AAP de-registered, says Arvind Kejriwal

Arvind Kejriwal on Friday mounted a stinging offensive against Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of voting in Punjab and Goa assembly polls, calling him a "shameless dictator" and alleged that he was trying to get Aam Aadmi Party deregistered.

Questioning the timing of a reported move by the Income Tax department to recommend to the Election Commission to cancel Aam Aadmi Party's political party status, the Delhi Chief Minister claimed that it is a "dirty trick" that the Prime Minister has used to avert the BJP's drubbing in the two states, which go to polls on Saturday. "Modiji's dirty tricks. Losing badly in Goa n Punjab, he tries to de-register the winning party 24 hrs before elections. Shameless dictator (sic)," the AAP's national convener said on twitter.

The AAP is fancying its chances in Punjab, where it is faced with a triangular contest with Congress and incumbent SAD-BJP. In Goa too, the AAP is hopeful of disturbing the ruling BJP's prospects.

According to media reports, the income tax department had on Friday asked the Election Commission to cancel AAP's status of a political party and a trust for allegedly filing "false and fabricated" audit reports on donations of more than Rs 27 crore.