Ludhiana, Jan. 9 -- AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday announced that the AAP government in Punjab will soon launch a full-scale offensive against gangsters, on the lines of its ongoing "Yudh Nashian Virudh' campaign. He said the state will witness an intensified crackdown aimed at dismantling gangster networks and restoring law and order. Kejriwal, along with Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann and AAP's Punjab affairs in-charge Manish Sisodia, was addressing newly elected Zila Parishad and Block Samiti members at a party meeting held in Ludhiana. Claiming that Punjab had witnessed the cleanest local body elections in its history, Kejriwal said not a single vote had been "shifted" during the polls. He alleged that in the past, ruling parties routinely won such elections through intimidation, manipulation and muscle power, but the AAP government ensured a free and fair electoral process. Pointing to the results, he said hundreds of seats were decided by razor-thin margins, including several where opposition candidates won by just one vote - something he said was unheard of under earlier regimes. Turning to law and order, Kejriwal accused traditional parties of patronising drug smugglers and criminal gangs. "They spread drugs across Punjab. Their relatives and close associates are involved in crime and gang operations. They openly give tickets to such people. We did not come to do that," he said, adding that after drugs, gangsters will be the next target of the government's crackdown. "Just as we launched a war against drugs, we will now launch a war against gangsters. We will eliminate their networks and will not spare anyone involved," Kejriwal said. Addressing the newly elected representatives, Kejriwal said winning over 70% of seats with a 38% vote share after four years in government was a vote for honesty, governance and decency. He asked party leaders to work at the grassroots to raise the vote share further, cautioning them against arrogance. "Arrogance destroyed the Akali Dal and the Congress. If you become arrogant, the same will happen to us," he warned. Chief minister Bhagwant Mann, in his address, credited Kejriwal's leadership for changing the nature of politics in the country. "Education, health and electricity have become central political issues because of AAP. Traditional parties have been forced to rewrite their agendas," he said. Taking a swipe at the Shiromani Akali Dal, Mann remarked that the party was struggling to find speakers for its upcoming Maghi conference. "They have no leaders left to address people. I alone am enough to take on dinosaurs," he said in a jibe at the SAD leadership. Kejriwal and Mann also participated in the maiden meeting of the Punjab State Traders' Commission in Mohali on Thursday. Addressing the gathering, Kejriwal said, "Today, a new beginning is taking place for small shopkeepers, traders and markets. There will be a commission at the state level, then at the district level and most importantly, at the constituency level. They're responsible to approach every shopkeeper in markets and hold a meeting. The problems faced by shopkeepers will be discussed in these meetings. 90% of these problems will be solved at that level itself. Some issues will be at the policy level, which these committees will recommend to the state government." Kejriwal added, "The central government extracts money through taxes. I pray that one day our (AAP-led) government is formed at the Centre and we free you from GST. There is a kind of tax terrorism going on."...