Arvind Kejriwal on Monday sought to make a dent in the traditional traders’ votebank of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) by promising a simplified VAT.

Addressing a large gathering of traders of the Nehru Place complex in south Delhi, Kejriwal promised to make taxation easier for the traders, who form the “backbone of the economy”.

“The government is hell bent on bringing laws that create problems for traders. The value-added tax (VAT) is so complicated that a trader can’t figure it out even if he employs three chartered accountants,” Kejriwal said.

“If AAP comes to power in November, the VAT would be simplified so that no trader is harassed,” Kejriwal said, addressing the gathering right from centre of the Nehru Place complex. Scores of people had gathered on the balconies and windows of the surrounding buildings to listen to him.

This was one of the series of meetings through which Kejriwal has been reaching out to Congress and BJP’s votebanks. AAP has already declared to contest all 70 assembly seats.

Claiming that there are two types of traders, the AAP leader condemned the unscrupulous types, ‘who buy 2G licences at Rs. 1,500 crore and sell it for Rs. 4,500 crore three days later’.

“As many as 90% traders want to do their business in rightful manner. These are the people who create wealth and employment but are harassed the most,” he said and promised to bring a positive change.He also questioned CM Sheila Dikshit’s model of development where flyovers are showcased as indicators of progress but children in government schools ‘stare at a dark future’.