On the eve of the party's "Tiranga Yatra" in Jaipur led by Chief Ministers Arvind Kejriwal and Bhagwant Mann, AAP leader Vinay Mishra on Sunday said about four-and-a-half lakh people have become its members recently and that the party was optimistic about its performance in the coming assembly polls in Rajasthan. He said the party's chief ministers will sound the poll bugle in the state with the yatra and appealed to people to join it.

After the "Tiranga Yatra" (tricolour rally) from Sanganeri Gate to Ajmeri Gate here, Delhi CM Kejriwal and Punjab CM Maan will address a gathering. Assembly elections in Rajasthan is scheduled for later this year. Mishra, the party's in-charge for Rajasthan, told a press conference, "I would like to appeal to people to connect with the yatra as it is important for Rajasthan where the BJP and the Congress formed governments alternately and worked to dupe people."

Within 15-20 days of the party's membership drive, about four-and-a-half lakh people have taken membership of the party, he said. He said the party was optimistic about its performance in Rajasthan and cited its performance in Gujarat, where it bagged more than 41 lakh votes and won five seats within three-four months of launching its campaign. Replying to a question that the BJP is also asking people to bring about a change in the state, Mishra said it is hard to comprehend whether the BJP is talking about a change in Rajasthan or in its leadership.?

"There is a confusion within BJP MLAs and MPs whether they take part in party protest or join birthday celebration of their leader Vasundhara Raje, which were on the same day. First they should work unitedly," Mishra said. Mishra alleged that both the BJP and the Congress have connived to favour the Adani Group in coal mining block allocation in Chhattisgarh. "Both the Congress and the BJP are cheating people. I am saying this with documentary proof. They are hand in glove with each other and working to loot the country. They are trying to hoodwink the people," Mishra said.

He also targeted the Congress-led state government for not hearing the issues of war widows and over alleged misbehavior with BJP MP Kirodi Lal Meena for raising their issues.? The Congress talks about the Centre's dictatorial attitude but the behaviour meted out to an MP -- dragging him by the collar and thrashing him -- is nothing less than dictatorship, the AAP leader said, referring to the alleged manhandling of Meena. There are several incidents which indicate that a change in Rajasthan is much needed, he added.