New Delhi:

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal today alleged Union Home Minister and BJP leader Amit Shah is allowing “gundaraaj (hooliganism)” to harass AAP workers ahead of voting in the Delhi assembly election scheduled on Wednesday.

Mr Kejriwal told reporters people allegedly backed by the BJP assaulted AAP workers, and the Delhi Police did not do anything to stop it.

A video has surfaced showing members of the Valmiki Samaj and the Dalit Mahapanchayat protesting against Mr Kejriwal, who was Delhi chief minister before Atishi took over. In the video, the protesters are seen vandalising an AAP campaign tempo.

The protesters are seen tearing apart posters of the yellow-and-blue broomstick election symbol of the AAP, which were pasted on the van.

The AAP alleged the Delhi Police did not act against the attackers.

The New Delhi Deputy Commissioner of Police, however, in a post on X said they have not received any complaint about the alleged attack.

“Thank you for bringing this into our notice,” the DCP New Delhi said in the post, replying to Mr Kejriwal’s post which had a video of the vandalism. “No PCR [police control room] call or complaint received in police station. It is requested that a formal complaint may be lodged in the police station and we assure strict legal action,” the police officer said.

On members of the Maharashtra Valmiki Samaj and Dalit Mapanchayat attacking AAP’s election campaign van, DCP New Delhi tweets “No PCR call or complaint received in police station. It is requested that a formal complaint may be lodged in the Police station and we assure strict… https://t.co/yw0JMtpxkR pic.twitter.com/SdCeiI45CF

— ANI (@ANI) February 2, 2025

Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva and MP Manoj Tiwari said the AAP government thrives on “lies, confusion, and negative politics”.

“They have no concern for the people of Delhi, which is why the entire city is now united in one voice – we want a BJP government,” Mr Sachdeva said at the launch of the BJP’s campaign song, ‘Dilwalon Ki Dilli Ko BJP Sarkar Chahiye’, sung by former MP Dinesh Lal Yadav ‘Nirahua’.

Earlier, BJP national spokesperson and MP Sambit Patra said the AAP has indulged in corruption in all departments. “The voters of Delhi are going to apply black ink on the face of scamsters,” he said, alluding to the Delhi liquor policy case in which Mr Kejriwal and his deputy Manish Sisodia were jailed for several months.

Referring to the vandalism, AAP spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar said the BJP is “heading towards a historic defeat” and is trying to boost party workers’ morale.

“BJP had earlier got stones thrown at Arvind Kejriwal on January 18… The morale of BJP goons has increased so much that today they are openly attacking the Aam Aadmi Party’s campaign van. There was an LED installed on it, which they broke… The eyes of the Election Commission in Delhi are closed, they are not able to see any of the misdeeds of the BJP… Such hooliganism will not work in Delhi. The BJP should be called out for its misdeeds,” Ms Kakkar told reporters today.

#WATCH | On members of the Maharashtra Valmiki Samaj and Dalit Mapanchayat attacking AAP’s election campaign van, AAP National Spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar says “…BJP is heading towards a historic defeat. BJP had earlier got stones pelted on Arvind Kejriwal on 18th… https://t.co/yw0JMtpxkR pic.twitter.com/FYKbR5BCZg

— ANI (@ANI) February 2, 2025

Mr Kejriwal also posted a video showing a BJP leader asking residents at a narrow street in Delhi’s Janakpuri to remove AAP flags and keep only BJP ones. Ashish Sood, the local BJP candidate, was seen stepping on the AAP’s flags which had fallen on the road.

The AAP and BJP’s rivalry is not new. When Mr Kejriwal was chief minister, the AAP and the BJP fought bitterly. Mr Kejriwal has for long alleged the Centre has been creating trouble in Delhi, a Union Territory, using the Delhi Police which comes under the Ministry of Home Affairs and the office of the Lieutenant Governor.

The Congress, which was in power for 15 consecutive years in Delhi, has suffered setbacks in the last two assembly elections and has failed to win any seat.

In contrast, the AAP dominated the 2020 assembly election by winning 62 out of the 70 seats while the BJP got only eight seats.

Votes will be counted on February 8.

New Delhi:

As the contest for Delhi Assembly polls hots up, BP candidate from the New Delhi constituency Parvesh Verma accused Aam Aadmi Party chief and former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal of misusing official machinery from Punjab, apart from “Chinese CCTV cameras”, in the capital.

“Thousands of vehicles with Punjab registration plates are roaming around in New Delhi. Items like water dispensers, chairs and other materials are being transported to Delhi in trucks belonging to the Punjab government,” the BJP leader claimed. He also urged the Election Commission to curb the misuse of resources owned by the Punjab government in Delhi.

Verma claimed Kejriwal fears “imminent defeat” from New Delhi and is getting Chinese CCTV cameras installed in the constituency’s slums just for the show with the help of the Punjab government. He further claimed that the Chinese CCTV cameras, installed in a “hurried manner”, pose a security threat.

He further said Punjab government’s teachers and employees are “masquerading as AAP workers” in Delhi, as the election campaigns continue in full swing. Verma also claimed that two teachers hailing from Amritsar were arrested by the police.

In response, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said Verma has “insulted” Punjabis and demanded an apology from Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Mann said in a post on X that Delhi is the country’s capital and vehicles registered in various states ply in the city. He added that vehicles registered in any state can ply anywhere in the country and there is no restriction on it.

Mann added that Verma’s statement is “dangerous, worrisome and insulting for Punjabis”, adding that his statement colludes to the assumption that Punjabis are a “threat” to the country’s security and sought an apology from Union home minister Amit Shah over it.

“Amit Shahji, you are neither able to keep the country’s border safe nor Delhi. Thousands of Bangladeshis and Rohingyas are coming to the country, don’t you have a problem with them? But you are calling Punjabis coming from Punjab to Delhi a threat to the country. You should apologise to Punjabis,” Mann said.

Kejriwal, meanwhile, said the BJP should apologise to the Punjabi community. “Lakhs of Punjabi refugees live in Delhi, who left everything behind during the difficult times of partition and settled in Delhi. By what BJP leaders are saying today, they are insulting their martyrdom and sacrifice,” he said in a social media post in Hindi.

The 70-member Delhi Assembly is scheduled to go to polls on February 5 and the results are set to be declared on February 8.

New Delhi:

Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party candidate Atishi has raised more than Rs 40 lakh through crowdfunding for her election campaign.

Delhi Chief Minister launched a crowdfunding campaign on January 12 to support her assembly election campaign, setting a target of Rs 40 lakh.

On completion of the target on Sunday, Atishi informed that over 740 people contributed in her campaign, following which she is closing the campaign.

“In just one week, over 740 of you came together to help me achieve the Rs40 lakh crowdfunding target! This isn’t just financial support–it’s a resounding endorsement of clean, honest, and transformative politics of the Aam Aadmi Party,” Chief Minister Atishi wrote on X.

“With the target now achieved, I am formally closing the #DonateForAtishi campaign. Thank you for believing in this journey. Your trust and generosity inspire me to continue working towards a better Delhi,” she added.

Opposition raised questions over Atishi’s crowdfunding campaign with Congress’ Sandeep Dikshit alleging that AAP is spending much more in the elections than the expenditure limit.

On January 13, Sandeep Dikshit alleged that AAP is spending Rs 500 to 700 on each volunteer. He stated that the party had appointed around 11 to 12 volunteers in each booth.

“Their (AAP) paid volunteers are on the ground with 11-12 of them at each booth. Each volunteer is being paid Rs 500-700. This only amounts to Rs 3-4 crore in every constituency. You are spending 3-4 times above the expenditure limit. So what honesty are you talking about?” the Congress leader questioned.

The Election Commission has restricted a candidate to spend Rs 40 lakh for one assembly seat in the election polls.

BJP leader Nalin Kohli also slammed Atishi alleging that the campaign could be a “cover-up.”

Speaking to ANI, Mr Kohli said, “Anyone is entitled to crowdfund and say they are the most honest people, but the AAP which came under the great banner of India Against Corruption, spoke against corruption, is itself facing serious corruption charges in the liquor scam and excise scam in Delhi. Private parties seem to have benefited and are currently being investigated. Amidst all of this if you suddenly say you have no money and you need crowdfunding, obviously people are going to wonder if it’s just a cover-up.”

Atishi is contesting against BJP’s Ramesh Bidhuri and Congress’ Alka Lamba from the Kalkaji Assembly constituency.

The Delhi assembly polls will be held in a single phase on February 5 and the counting of votes will take place on February 8.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday admitted that he could not fulfil three promises – cleaning of Yamuna river, providing clean drinking water and making Delhi’s roads of European standard.

He said these tasks will be carried out in the next five years if AAP is re-elected in the assembly polls.

Addressing a gathering in Laxmi Bai Nagar, Mr Kejriwal reminded people of his promises and assured that the AAP government is working towards their completion.

“I am truthful to my promises. Either I fulfil them or I remind them that I promised but couldn’t do it. I could not fulfill three promises – first cleaning the Yamuna, second, providing clean drinking water and third making Delhi’s roads of European standards.

Mr Kejriwal said the work of cleaning Yamuna will be accomplished in two to three years.

“A lot of work has been done…Yamuna will be cleaned in the next two to three years. About 24-hour drinking water supply, this has been started in a colony of Rajendra Nagar. I inaugurated it…Now we will do it for all areas of Delhi. We will improve the quality of roads. All these 3 works will be completed in the next five years,” he said.

Mr Kejriwal spoke of the AAP government’s work for improving schools and the power situation.

“In the summer of 2014, there used to be power cuts for 10 hours. We have made sure that Delhi receives electricity for 24 hours. BJP has government in 20 states yet they don’t provide electricity for 24 hours. Delhi also has the cheapest electricity,” Mr Kejriwal said.

“We have provided good education to children. No government focused on government schools. We have built amazing government schools. Last year the result of government schools was 99.7 per cent. Private schools had 92 per cent results. I believe there’s no bigger patriotic work than providing free and good education,” he added.

Delhi Assembly elections will be held on February 5 and votes will be counted on February 8.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

BJP rushed to placate the outgoing MLA from Karawal Nagar after the ticket from his current seat was given to Kapil Mishra. Mohan Singh Bisht was then given a ticket from Mustafabad in the third list of candidates released on Sunday, ahead of the February 5 Delhi Assembly election.

Mr Bisht, who has won all except one assembly election from Karawal Nagar since 1998, had earlier said, “The BJP thinks they will field anyone and he will win. This is a big mistake. You have challenged the ‘samaj’ (his Uttarakhandi community), not Mohan Singh Bisht. The BJP will lose at least 8-10 seats because of this decision, including Karawal Nagar, Burari, Mustafabad and Gokalpuri.”

Later, Mr Bisht expressed confidence that he would win the Mustafabad seat for the BJP. “I met the national president and things were ironed out. I have assured that I will contest from Mustafabad and win the seat for the party,” Bisht told PTI. The MLA said he and the BJP had considerable support in Mustafabad and he has already attended two public meetings there.

Another protest at the Delhi BJP office voiced resentment over the candidate fielded from Tughlakabad. “Vikram Bidhuri Tum Sangharsh Karo; Modi Se Bair Nahi, Rohtas Teri Khair Nahi,” the protesters, including mostly youngsters, chanted as the party leaders tried to pacify them. In the second list of BJP candidates, Rohtas Bidhuri was fielded from the Tughlakabad seat. 

A similar protest was also held by some party workers outside the Delhi BJP office against Mehrauli candidate Gajainder Yadav after the announcement of the first list of candidates earlier this month.

Mr Bisht is the only candidate announced as part of the third list of BJP candidates for the Delhi polls. In the first and second lists, 29 candidates each were announced. So far, the BJP has announced 59 candidates.

Elections to the 70-member Delhi Assembly are scheduled on February 5, the counting of votes for which will be held on February 8. The elections will see the Aam Aadmi Party looking to retain power for the third consecutive term, despite many of its leaders being tainted by various cases. The BJP, out of power in Delhi since 1998, is making all-out efforts to return to the helm.

New Delhi:

Former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Ramesh Bidhuri on Sunday dismissed the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)’s claims that the opposition party is likely to consider projecting him as the chief ministerial face in next month’s Delhi assembly elections, saying he is not a contender for the top post.

Mr Bidhuri, who is contesting the polls from Kalkaji seat against Chief Minister Atishi, made the clarification amid Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) National Convener Arvind Kejriwal’s allegations that the BJP intends to field the former MP as the chief ministerial candidate in a day or two. The opposition party has, however, repeatedly dismissed the claim.

In a statement on Sunday, Mr Bidhuri said: “I am as dedicated to the people as I am to my party. Talks about the chief minister’s role for me are totally baseless. I will continue to work timelessly as your servant.” 

The BJP leader also said he is a “loyal worker” of the party. “The party has constantly blessed me and expressed trust in me. While I was holding important responsibilities for twenty-five years, the party made me an MP twice and an MLA thrice and has given me the opportunity to come to your door for the fourth time,” he said, referring to his term as MP from 2014 to 2019 and 2019 to 2024, and election as MLA in 2003, 2008 and 2013. 

The former MP also hit out at Mr Kejriwal for his “misleading propaganda” against him. “I want to make it clear that I am not a claimant for any post,” he said. 

“With your blessings, I am dedicated to the service of the people… I want to give you more and more of the country,” he added. 

At a press conference on Saturday, Mr Kejriwal claimed that he has come to know from “reliable sources” that the BJP will announce Mr Bidhuri as the chief ministerial candidate in the coming days. He also challenged Bidhuri to a public debate to let the people of Delhi decide who is better equipped to lead.

“Once Bidhuri’s candidacy is officially announced, I propose that to strengthen democracy, there should be a public debate between the AAP’s candidate and the BJP’s candidate, Ramesh Bidhuri, in front of the people of Delhi, the nation, and the media,” the former Chief Minister said.

Mr Bidhuri alleged that by raking up his name, Mr Kejriwal has accepted that the BJP will form the government in the next assembly term. “He has widely accepted his defeat because it is well known that the people of Delhi are widely angry with him. The people want to get rid of the liquor scam, education scam, health scam, Sheeshmahal scam, broken roads, dirty drinking water etc,” he said, referring to the excise policy case, an alleged scam in the Delhi education department, the alleged Mohalla clinic scam and alleged irregularities in the construction of the bungalow that Mr Kejriwal used as chief minister.

Ms Atishi, who is seeking reelection from Kalkaji seat, also claimed on Friday that the BJP was going to name Mr Bidhuri as its chief ministerial face and criticised the party for picking a leader who “hurls the most abuses”.

The BJP dismissed the claims as a “baseless rumour” with Union Home Minister Amit Shah accusing Mr Kejriwal of spreading canard for political mileage. “Can Kejriwal decide the BJP’s chief ministerial face? Who is he to make such claims?” he said while addressing “Jhuggi Basti Pradhan Sammelan” in the Capital on Saturday. 

Mr Shah also accused Mr Kejriwal of attempting to manipulate public perception, asserting that the people of Delhi understood his tactics. “Lies, betrayal and going back on promises” are the qualities of Kejriwal, he said. 

Mr Bidhuri’s recent remarks about Ms Atishi and Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi had triggered a controversy. 

The BJP leader had made derogatory comments against Ms Atishi’s father.

Besides, he said that would make roads in Kalkaji smooth like “Priyanka Gandhi’s cheeks”. The Congress termed the remark as an “insult to women”.

Mr Bidhuri later expressed regret following an uproar.

The 70-member Delhi Assembly will go to polls on February 5, and the counting of votes will be held on February 8. 

The AAP, which won 67 seats in the 2015 polls and 62 in the 2020 polls, is eyeing another consecutive term in the Capital. 

The BJP won three seats in 2015 and eight in 2020 while the Congress failed to open its account on both the occasions. 

New Delhi:

With an eye on Purvanchali votebank in Delhi, the ruling AAP and the Opposition BJP on Friday crossed swords over the honour and welfare of migrants from Bihar and east Uttar Pradesh as both parties claimed to be their true well-wisher.

While the BJP women wing held a protest outside AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal’s house over his “anti-Purvanchali” comments, the former Chief Minister countered by claiming that he had given a dignified life to Purvanchalis by providing civic and health facilities in unauthorised colonies and slums where they live.

The poll-bound city is witnessing a battle over Purvanchalis with BJP protesting against Kejriwal’s comment on Thursday in which he allegedly called people from Purvanchal “fake voters” and the AAP has been accusing the saffron party of indulging in politics.

Kejriwal took to damage control on Friday by blaming the BJP’s central government for not carrying out any development in the unauthorised colonies that are home to the community.

#WATCH | Delhi | Police use water cannon to disperse BJP workers who are protesting outside AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal’s residence at Feroze Shah Road over his statement on Purvanchal voters pic.twitter.com/00fDUrPKdu

— ANI (@ANI) January 10, 2025

“People from Purvanchal come here and live in slums. Before 2014, it was difficult to live in these slums. It was a life of hell, with mud and sludge everywhere. There was no development. According to the Supreme Court and central government orders, no development could take place there. More than 90 per cent of the people in these slums are from Purvanchal. I want to ask the BJP, what have you done for slums in the last 10 years?” said Kejriwal.

“BJP is just a party for protesting. They only hold dharna and protest and indulge in dirty politics. They can’t work for the people,” he said.

Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva said Kejriwal’s remarks last evening, where he called people from Purvanchal “fake voters,” have once again revealed the dark truth of his mindset.

Kejriwal seems to have lost his mental balance out of fear of losing power, he said, slamming the former CM for insulting Purvanchali voters.

The significance of Purvanchali voters living mostly in unauthorised colonies in Delhi can be gauged from the fact that even Prime Minister Narendra Modi had referred to their issues during his recent election rally.

PM Modi had said that while the Central government was holding camps to give ownership rights to residents of unauthorised colonies, the AAP had failed to provide even basic services like roads and water in these areas.

About 42 per cent Delhi’s 1.55 crore voters are Purvanchalis or migrants from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar and their votes influence the result in almost half of the city’s 70 Assembly constituencies. Key seats with Purvanchali voters include Burari, Laxmi Nagar, Dwarka, etc.

Apart from declaring Chhath, a ritual observed by Purvanchalis, as a holiday in Delhi, the AAP government has been making special arrangements for the religious event by building special ghats near the Yamuna and providing artificial water ponds in colonies.

The BJP has also been actively engaging with the community through its Purvanchal Morcha. North East Delhi MP Manoj Tiwari, a singer and actor from Purvanchal, has been projected by the party as its tallest leader from the region.

The Assembly elections in Delhi are scheduled to be held on February 5 and the result will be announced on February 8.

In the outgoing Assembly, the AAP has 62 MLAs and the BJP has eight.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday described the two projects inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as milestones for Delhi’s infrastructure and claimed they were joint ventures between the central and the city governments.

PM Modi inaugurated a 13-kilometre stretch of the Delhi-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) corridor from Sahibabad in Uttar Pradesh’s Ghaziabad to New Ashok Nagar here and the Janakpuri West-Krishna Park Extension section of the Delhi Metro’s Phase IV.

During a press conference, Mr Kejriwal congratulated the people of Delhi and asserted that the projects were a collaboration between the city and the central governments.

Taking a dig at his critics, Mr Kejriwal said, “These inaugurations are a reply to those who say AAP only engages in fights.” Referring to the challenges faced by his party, he claimed AAP leaders were imprisoned and tortured but maintained their focus on governance.

“Over the past 10 years, our tenure has shown how we kept work above everything else,” he said.

He also hit out at PM Modi, alleging that the prime minister devoted the majority of his speech to criticise the Delhi government.

Mr Kejriwal said, “Today, the prime minister kept abusing the people of Delhi and the elected government of Delhi. I was listening to it, it felt bad. The promise made by the prime minister in 2020 — the people of Delhi Dehat are still waiting for that to be fulfilled.” 

The former chief minister also urged PM Modi to fulfil the promises made in the BJP’s election manifesto.

With elections to the 70-member Delhi Assembly due in February, Mr Kejriwal’s remarks underlined AAP’s focus on development amid its continuing tussle with the Centre.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)