New Delhi:

The Aam Aadmi Party on Saturday rejected the third and final part of the BJP manifesto ‘Sankalp Patra’ as a “Jumla Patra”, claiming the saffron party has copied AAP’s schemes and policies, and it seems they have already admitted their defeat in the assembly polls.

With less than two weeks to go for the assembly polls, senior BJP leader Amit Shah released the final part of the BJP manifesto Saturday, promising to clean Yamuna in three years, providing complete ownership rights of plots in 1,700 unauthorised colonies, and implementing welfare measures for gig workers and labourers.

Addressing a press conference after Shah’s announcement, senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia said it was the BJP’s “Jumla Patra”.

Shah announced 50,000 jobs if the BJP came to power in Delhi that has a population of 3.5 crore, he said.

“It appears from the BJP’s manifesto and the announcements made by Shah, that it has already admitted that it is losing the elections and not going to form government,” Sisodia said.

Instead of presenting any vision or plan for Delhi, Shah abused Arvind Kejriwal, he charged. “Kejriwal, whom Shah abused, has got a plan (for Delhi). He provided 12 lakh jobs during COVID,” Sisosida asserted.

The former Deputy chief minister also alleged the BJP was behind sealing of shops in Delhi that Shah has promised to deseal if his party comes to power. “When the AAP came to power, efforts were made to deseal the shops but BJP leaders prevented it,” he alleged.

Rather than giving “Jumlas”, Shah should focus on providing security to the people of Delhi including traders “who are living under fear due to poor law and order in the city”.

Shah also promised proving life insurance cover for lawyers and electric buses in the city both of which were already introduced by the AAP government, Sisodia claimed.

While releasing the BJP manifesto, Shah also slammed Kejriwal, accusing him of “lying” and not fulfilling his promises and asserted that “getting rid of liars and betrayers” is the biggest poll issue in the national capital.

The BJP manifesto also promised free travel of up to Rs 4,000 annually for needy students in Delhi Metro under the National Common Mobility Card scheme.

AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal said in a post in Hindi, “Today, Amit Shah came to Delhi and abused me and left. Will Delhi develop by abusing me? The BJP has neither any plan nor any vision for Delhi. If nothing else, why not just repeat the facilities we are providing? The BJP has surrendered. The BJP’s election is over.” On the BJP’s promise to give full ownership rights to people living in Delhi’s unauthorised colonies, he said, “This is the same promise that the Prime Minister made in 2015 and 2020. Now again the same old promise? You don’t even hesitate to lie so openly. False promises in every election?” 

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

New Delhi:

The Congress Tuesday released its second list of 26 candidates for the upcoming Delhi Assembly polls, fielding Farhad Suri against AAP’s Manish Sisodia from Jangpura while also giving tickets to ex-AAP MLAs Asim Khan and Devender Sehrawat.

With this list, the Congress has declared a total of 47 candidates for the elections for the 70-member Delhi Assembly.

While Khan has been fielded from Matia Mahal, Sehrawat has been given a ticket from Bijwasan. Both the former AAP MLAs joined the Congress on Monday.

Suri will take on AAP’s Sisodia from Jangpura.

The Congress also fielded Satish Luthra from Shakur Basti, Rajesh Lilothia from Seemapuri (SC), Haji Mohammad Ishraq Khan from Babarpur, Rajesh Chauhan from Deoli (SC), Pradeep Kumar Upmanyu from Delhi Cantt and Sumit Sharma from Laxmi Nagar.

The party had released its first list of 21 candidates earlier this month, fielding ex-MP Sandeep Dikshit from New Delhi, setting up a contest between him and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal.

The Congress also fielded its Delhi chief Devender Yadav from Badli, ex-Delhi minister Haroon Yusuf from Ballimaran, ex-Delhi Congress chief Chaudhary Anil Kumar from Patparganj, national spokesperson Ragini Nayak from Wazirpur and Adarsh Shastri from Dwarka.

The list came hours after the Congress’ Central Election Committee (CEC) approved it.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and former party chief Rahul Gandhi participated in the CEC meeting via video conferencing while Delhi in-charge Qazi Mohammad Nizamuddin and Delhi unit chief Devender Yadav, among other members of the CEC, were physically present at the AICC headquarters.

After the Congress’ CEC meeting, the party’s Delhi in-charge Qazi Mohammad Nizamuddin told reporters, “Earlier the discussion happened in the screening committee meeting, now a detailed seat-wise discussion happened in the CEC meeting. There are many seats that have been cleared by the CEC. There are some pending seats.” When asked about the names of candidates on some prominent seats of Delhi, he said, “All 70 seats are important for us. We will try to fight strongly on all seats.”

The Delhi Assembly elections are likely to be held in February next year. 

(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 (AAP) leader Manish Sisodia on Monday attacked Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Manoj Tiwari for sharing a clipped video of his party colleague and former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal.

Mr Tiwari, in a post on X, shared a 9-second clip in which Mr Kejriwal was heard saying that “someone was saying that whoever has written the Constitution must be drunk while writing it”. His post came amid a massive row over Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s remarks on BR Ambedkar – known as the architect of the Indian Constitution.

“I found this video of the head of Delhi’s Aam Aadmi Party. After listening to which everyone will be able to see his true colours,” Mr Tiwari, a three-time MP from North East Delhi, wrote.

मुझे दिल्ली के आम आदमी पार्टी के मुखिया का ये मुस्कान भरा वीडियो मिला.. जिसको सुनकर हर कोई ऐसे बहुरूपिये का असली रंग देख पायेगा.. #दलित_विरोधी_AAPpic.twitter.com/obMEJpp4RI

— Manoj Tiwari (@ManojTiwariMP) December 23, 2024

Mr Sisodia, who has filed a defamation case against Mr Tiwari in the past, countered him and shared the full video of Mr Kejriwal’s speech.

In the 19-second video, which was reportedly shot 12 years ago, Mr Kejriwal was heard talking about the Constitution of the Congress party and not about the Indian Constitution.

“Constitution of Congress party says no worker shall consume liquor. Someone amongst us said the one who wrote the Constitution must have been drunk while writing it,” he said.

Mr Sisodia asked Mr Tiwari to stop behaving like “cheap trolls”.

“You are an MP, have some shame. You are tweeting lies. If not yourself, at least respect the post of an MP,” the former Delhi deputy chief minister said.

मनोज तिवारी जी सांसद हो, थोड़ी तो शर्म करो। झूँठ ट्वीट कर रहे हो । सस्ते trollers जैसा बर्ताव करना बंद करो। अपनी नहीं तो कम से कम सांसद पद की तो इज्जत करो। https://t.co/kEt6Za3aBjpic.twitter.com/vuDziaJTYM

— Manish Sisodia (@msisodia) December 23, 2024

Mr Tiwari responded to the AAP leader, saying there should be “decorum” in a debate. “You got so angry that you called me shameless”.

“If the members of Congress wrote the Constitution of the party after drinking alcohol, then how can Arvind Kejriwal interpret it to mean that “whoever wrote the Constitution, wrote it after drinking alcohol”. What is the meaning of “whoever wrote the Constitution”?,” Mr Tiwari added.

“How can Arvind Kejriwal dare to say this? Is there a difference between the Constitution of India and Congress’ Constitution or not,” he asked.

The war of words between the two leaders broke out days after a controversy erupted over Amit Shah’s remarks on BR Ambedkar during the recently concluded Winter Session of parliament.

In his address to the Rajya Sabha during the debate to mark 75 years of the Constitution last week, Mr Shah said taking BR Ambedkar’s name had become a “fashion” now.

“It has become a fashion to say Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar’. If they took God’s name so many times, they would have got a place in heaven,” the senior BJP leader said.

“Take his name 100 times more, but I want to say what are your sentiments about him,” he said.

The AAP, Congress and other Opposition parties have alleged that Mr Shah had insulted the Dalit icon and demanded his resignation and an apology.

Mr Shah, however, said the Opposition leaders had twisted his remarks.

New Delhi:

AAP leader and former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia won’t have to report to the investigating officer twice a week in the corruption and money laundering cases related to the Delhi excise policy after the Supreme Court relaxed his bail conditions on Wednesday.

A bench of Justices B R Gavai and K V Viswanathan eased the conditions, calling them unnecessary.

“The petitioner shall regularly attend the trial,” it said.

The top court on November 22 agreed to hear Mr Sisodia’s pleas and issued notices to the CBI and the ED seeking their responses.

On August 9, the top court granted him bail in both cases linked to the alleged 2021-22 Delhi excise policy case, saying a 17-month long incarceration without trial deprived him of his right to a speedy trial.

The top court then imposed conditions, including his reporting to the investigating officer every Monday and Thursday between 10 and 11 am.

During the hearing on November 22, Singhvi argued the AAP leader had appeared before the investigating officers 60 times.

Mr Sisodia was arrested by both the CBI and the ED in the corruption and money laundering cases, respectively, linked to the alleged excise scam.

He was arrested by the CBI on February 26, 2023, for purported irregularities in the formulation and implementation of the now scrapped Delhi excise policy 2021-22.

The following month, the ED arrested him in the money laundering case stemming from the CBI FIR on March 9, 2023. He resigned from the Delhi cabinet on February 28, 2023.

Mr Sisodia has denied the allegations.

In its August 9 verdict granting bail to Mr Sisodia in both the cases, the top court said it was high time that trial courts and the high courts recognised the principle, “bail is rule and jail is exception”.

“We find that, on account of a long period of incarceration running for around 17 months and the trial even not having been commenced, the appellant (Mr Sisodia) has been deprived of his right to speedy trial,” it said.

The top court had directed him to furnish a bail bond of Rs 10 lakh with two sureties of the like amount.

Mr Sisodia was further directed to surrender his passport with the special court and not make any attempt either to influence the witnesses or to tamper with the evidence.

The top court had set aside the May 21 verdict of the Delhi High Court, which dismissed Mr Sisodia’s pleas seeking bail in both these cases.

The ED and the CBI had opposed his bail pleas.

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

New Delhi:

Delhi’s former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia will contest the upcoming Assembly polls from Jangpura and civil services teacher Avadh Ojha is Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) candidate from east Delhi’s Patparganj, currently held by Mr Sisodia.

AAP today released its second list of 20 candidates for the Delhi Assembly polls, due early next year. Last month, it released a list with names of 11 candidates. The ruling party is yet to announce candidates for 39 seats in the 70-member Assembly.

The Jangpura seat has been with AAP since 2013 when former Delhi Assembly Speaker Maninder Singh Dhir won it. When Mr Dhir switched to the BJP, AAP fielded Praveen Kumar who won the seat in the 2015 and the 2020 polls. This time, the party has chosen the seat for Mr Sisodia. The former Deputy Chief Minister, who was arrested in a money laundering case linked to Delhi’s now-scrapped liquor policy, is out on bail. He has said he would join the government only after the verdict in the “people’s court”.

Thanking Mr Kejriwal and AAP for the opportunity to contest from Jangpura, Mr Sisodia said Patparganj is the “heart of the education revolution in Delhi”. “When Avadh Ojha joined the party, I felt Patparganj would be the best seat for a teacher,” he said, adding that he was glad to “hand over the responsibility”. “I am now ready to do in Jangpura what I did for education and development in Patparganj. From Patparganj to Jangpura, my pledge is firm: to make Delhi better,” he posted on X.

Praveen Kumar, the current Jangpura MLA, has been accommodated in the Janakpuri seat. 

For Avadh Ojha, who joined the AAP earlier this month, Patparganj is a safe seat. The east Delhi constituency is seen as an AAP stronghold that has been represented by Mr Sisodia since 2013. 

Significantly, none of the sitting MLAs in these 21 seats have been repeated this time. AAP is pushing hard for a fourth term and the move to change sitting MLAs appears to be aimed at countering anti-incumbency or complaints against a specific legislator in his/her constituency.    

New Delhi:

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) today conducted searches at the residence of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Sanjeev Arora in Punjab’s Ludhiana. Officials said the raids were held in a money laundering probe case.

According to sources, Mr Arora, AAP’s Rajya Sabha MP, is accused of fraudulently acquiring land worth crores in the name of his company.

Reacting to the ED action, Mr Arora said he was “not sure” about the reason for the search operations.

“I am a law-abiding citizen, am not sure about the reason for the search operation, will cooperate fully with agencies and make sure all their queries are answered,” he wrote on X.

I am a law abiding citizen, am not sure about the reason for search operation, will cooperate fully with agencies and make sure all their queries are answered.

— Sanjeev Arora (@MP_SanjeevArora) October 7, 2024

The probe agency conducted raids at 17 locations across Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Delhi, including at the residence of realtor Hemant Sood.

Senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia attacked the ED, saying they had raided many leaders of his party but “found nothing”.

“Since this morning, the ED is raiding the house of Aam Aadmi Party’s Rajya Sabha MP Sanjeev Arora. In the last two years, they have raided (former Delhi chief minister) Arvind Kejriwal’s house, my house, (AAP MP) Sanjay Singh’s house, (former Delhi minister) Satyendra Jain’s house… nothing was found anywhere,” he posted on X in Hindi.

Mr Sisodia was arrested by the CBI on February 26, 2023, in the alleged Delhi liquor policy scam. The ED then arrested him in the money laundering case stemming from the CBI FIR on March 9, 2023. He was granted bail in August this year.

Besides him, senior AAP leaders Arvind Kejriwal, Sanjay Singh, and Satyendar Jain have also faced the ED heat. While Mr Kejriwal and Mr Singh have been granted bail, Mr Jain, who was arrested by the probe agency in May 2022, remains in custody.

New Delhi:

Manish Sisodia, senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Delhi’s former deputy Chief Minister, said attempts were made to turn him against Chief Minister and party colleague Arvind Kejriwal following his arrest in a corruption case linked to the national capital’s now-scrapped liquor policy.

“They tried to break me. I was told that Arvind Kejriwal had framed me. They told the court that Arvind Kejriwal named Manish Sisodia. I was told in the jail, ‘name Kejriwal, you will be saved’,” Mr Sisodia said at a party event called Janata ki Adalat (people’s court).

This comes days after Mr Kejriwal resigned as Chief Minister and said he would only return to the post after the people deliver a verdict in his favour in the upcoming Assembly election in Delhi. Mr Sisodia, too, has said that he will take up a role in the Delhi government only after the people’s verdict. Mr Kejriwal made the surprise announcement to resign after being granted bail in the Delhi liquor policy case. Senior AAP leader has now been sworn in as Chief Minister.

Earlier, Mr Kejriwal had alleged in the court that the media, citing CBI sources, was reporting that he had put the entire blame on Manish Sisodia. “I have not given any statement that Sisodia is guilty or anyone else is guilty. I have said Sisodia is innocent, AAP is innocent, and I am innocent,” he said.

Addressing today’s event, Mr Sisodia alleged claimed that he got offers to switch to the BJP. “I was told, ‘switch over’, ‘ they will get you killed in jail’. I was told to think about myself, and that no one thinks about anyone in politics. I was told to think about my family, my ailing wife, and my son who is in college. I told them that you are trying to separate Laxman from Ram. No Raavan in the world has the power to do that. For 26 years, Arvind Kejriwal has been my brother and political mentor,” he said.

The AAP leader alleged that he and his party colleagues were arrested for breaking AAP. “They could neither break us from within nor break up the party.”

Recounting the financial difficulties he faced after his address, Mr Sisodia said, “In 2002, when I was a journalist, I bought a flat worth Rs 5 lakh, it was taken away. I had Rs 10 lakh in my account, that was taken away too. I had to beg for help to pay my son’s fees. I had told tell them that I have to pay my son’s fees and ED has frozen by bank account.”

Mr Sisodia was in jail for nearly one-and-a-half years before he was granted bail last month. During this time, he resigned as Delhi’s deputy chief minister and gave up several other portfolios he held.

At the AAP gathering in Jantar Mantar today, Mr Sisodia said he knows that people are somewhat upset because Mr Kejriwal is no longer the Chief Minister. “It is a matter of three or four months, he will be Chief Minister again.” 

New Delhi:

Senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia will meet Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday, a day after the party supremo announced to resign and not sit on the chief minister’s chair till people give him a “certificate of honesty”.

The AAP national convener said that he would become chief minister and Manish Sisodia his deputy “only when people say we are honest”.

A party functionary on Monday said, “Kejriwal and Sisodia will be meeting today. This will be the first meeting after the decision by them. The meeting is also likely to see a discussion over the next chief minister.” The meeting is slated to be held at the chief minister’s official residence in the Civil Lines area.

Mr Kejriwal, who was released on bail from the Tihar Jail in the excise policy graft case on Friday, has said that he would hold a meeting of the AAP MLAs in a couple of days and one of his party colleagues would take over as the chief minister.

His unexpected announcement kicked up a strong buzz over the names of his wife Sunita and his ministers Atishi and Gopal Rai as his possible replacement. 

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

New Delhi:

AAP leaders, including Atishi and former deputy chief minister of Delhi Manish Sisodia, were huddled in front of a laptop, closely following the Supreme Court’s proceedings in the Delhi liquor policy case. As Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was granted bail, the AAP leaders jumped into celebrations with hugs, handshakes and reassuring smiles. 

The Supreme court today granted bail to Mr Kejriwal, saying prolonged incarceration amounts to unjust deprivation of liberty. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan granted the relief to Mr Kejriwal on furnishing a bail bond of Rs 10 lakh, and two sureties of like amount.

Mr Kejriwal, who was arrested by the ED in the excise policy case on March 21, was granted interim bail on May 10 for campaigning in the Lok Sabha polls and has been in jail since June 2 when he surrendered.

In a post on X, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) said, “Satyamev Jayate.” Kejriwal’s release from the Tihar Jail will be a shot in the arm for the party as it prepares for the elections in Delhi and Haryana.

Mr Sisodia, who was recently granted bail in the excise policy cases of the ED and CBI by the top court, said on X, “Today truth won again in the fight against lies and conspiracies. I once again pay my tribute to the thinking and foresight of Baba Saheb Ambedkar ji, who 75 years ago had strengthened the common man against any future dictator.”

AAP Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha thanked the top court on the decision.

In a post on X, Atishi said, “Satyamev Jayate. Truth can be troubled, not defeated.” AAP Rajya Sabha MP Harbhajan Singh also welcomed Kejriwal’s release, saying “he will continue to dedicate himself to serve the people”.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader have welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision to grant bail to party chief and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the Delhi liquor policy case.
Former Delhi deputy chief minister and Mr Kejriwal’s close aide Manish Sisodia said the decision marked truth’s victory over “lies and conspiracies.”

“Today once again truth has won in the fight against lies and conspiracies. I once again pay my tribute to the thinking and foresight of Baba Saheb Ambedkar ji, who 75 years ago had strengthened the common man against any future dictator,” he said in a post on X.

Delhi Education Minister Atishi said, “Satyamev Jayate. Truth can be troubled, but not defeated.”

AAP MP Raghav Chadha welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision and said that the party missed his leadership.

In a post on X, he said, “Welcome back, Arvind Kejriwal, we missed you! Truth can be troubled but not defeated! Finally, the Honourable Supreme Court has given its decision to release Delhi’s son, Arvind Kejriwal, from the shackles of jail. Thanks to Honorable Supreme Court!.”

Mr Kejriwal’s wife Sunita Kejriwal, who made several appeals to the people of Delhi seeking support for him while he was jailed, congratulated the AAP.

“Congratulations to AAP family! Kudos for staying strong. Wishing also the soonest release of our other leaders,” she wrote in a post on X.

While granting bail, the Supreme Court observed that prolonged incarceration amounts to unjust deprivation of liberty.

Mr Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on March 21, 2024, in connection with a money laundering probe relating to alleged irregularities in the now-cancelled Delhi excise policy.

On June 26, AAP Chief Arvind Kejriwal was arrested by CBI while he was in custody of the Enforcement Directorate in the excise case.