Kejriwal hits out at BJP ahead of polls, accuses them of 'handing over Delhi to goons'

New Delhi: As the Delhi Assembly election near, the political battle has intensified with Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal launching a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Kejriwal accused the BJP of engaging in "galli galoch" (abusive rhetoric) and manipulating voter registrations to sway the February 5 elections.

Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Kejriwal alleged large-scale voter fraud in the New Delhi Legislative Assembly constituency. The AAP delegation raised the issue with the Election Commission on Thursday, highlighting that 89 deletion requests were linked to alleged fraudulent registrations, with 18 applicants denying they had submitted such requests.

The BJP had intensified its attack on Arvind Kejriwal by releasing a poster labeling him as the "Enemy of Purvanchal" and staging a protest outside his residence on Friday. This followed Kejriwal’s allegations that the BJP was registering "fake voters" from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar for the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections. Purvanchal is a political or geographical region comprising eastern UP bordered district of Central UP depending upon state polity.

On the press conference Kejriwal also accused the BJP of neglecting the development of Purvanchal and Kachi Colony, stating, "BJP has left Delhi to goons and does nothing but blame AAP instead of focusing on its achievements. They don’t care about children, families, or their living conditions."

Manoj Tiwari Defends BJP, Accuses Kejriwal of Insulting Purvanchalis

Responding to Kejriwal’s allegations from Thursday, North East Delhi MP Manoj Tiwari accused the AAP leader of disrespecting migrants from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Jharkhand, who form a significant voter base in Delhi. "Kejriwal has a history of insulting people from UP, Bihar, and Jharkhand. He called them 'fake voters,' but they are the backbone of Delhi’s development," Tiwari said.

Tiwari emphasized that 42% of Delhi’s voters are from Purvanchal and warned that they would "take revenge" at the ballot box. "You (Kejriwal) live in a 'Sheesh Mahal' and disrespect the hardworking people of UP and Bihar. The people of Purvanchal will show you their power on February 5," he added.

Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva echoed Tiwari’s sentiments, accusing Kejriwal of harboring hatred for Purvanchalis. "People of UP and Bihar have played a crucial role in Delhi’s growth. Kejriwal’s continuous insults will cost him dearly in this election," Sachdeva said.

Election Preparations and Accusations

Kejriwal also criticized BJP candidate Parvesh Verma for allegedly distributing money and questioned the BJP's health camps and job fairs, calling them election gimmicks. Meanwhile, BJP leaders dismissed these allegations, focusing on their outreach to Purvanchali voters and accusing AAP of spreading misinformation.

The Delhi Assembly elections will be held in a single phase on February 5, with results announced on February 8.