New Delhi:

The AAP’s charges against the BJP over alleged changes in the electoral rolls a month before the polls and against BJP leader Parvesh Verma have led to a fresh showdown between the two parties vying for power in the national capital.

The Election Commission yesterday ordered a probe by its chief electoral officer in Delhi after a delegation led by Chief Minister Atishi filed a complaint against Mr Verma, who is contesting against Arvind Kejriwal from the New Delhi seat.

Hitting back on Friday, Mr Verma said he was open to any investigation and that his only aim is to defeat Mr Kejriwal.

“The AAP did nothing in 11 years. They didn’t listen to the people’s perils. AAP did not give out jobs in the last 11 years. They are scared of losing,” he said.

On AAP’s allegations of violating the Model Code, he said he had only asked the companies he knew to meet those looking for jobs in his constituency. Claiming he did not ask for votes for giving jobs, he asked, “What problem does Mr Kejriwal have if some people get jobs?”

Showdown Over ‘Purvanchal’ Remarks

Mr Kejriwal’s remarks that the BJP was bringing people from Bihar and UP to create “fake votes” sparked protests earlier in the day after the BJP accused him of insulting those from Purvanchal. Responding to the allegations, he said only the AAP has given a life of dignity to Purvanchali voters.

“I had gone to the Election Commission to highlight that under the garb of Rohingya and Bangladeshis, they are deleting names of Purvanchali voters. But, in turn, they are leveling baseless charges against me. If there is a party that has respected and given a life of dignity to people from Purvanchal in Delhi, it is the AAP,” said Mr Kejriwal today.

Continuing his tirade against the BJP, he said the BJP has not done enough for the Purvanchalis living in Delhi.

“People from Purvanchal who come here live in Kachhi Colonies. Before 2014, it was difficult to live in these colonies. There was no development. More than 90% of the people in these colonies are from Purvanchal. I want to ask the BJP, what have you done for slums in the last 10 years?” asked the former chief minister.

New Delhi:

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is planning to declare Parvesh Verma as its chief ministerial candidate for the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections.

“According to sources, BJP is going to declare Parvesh Verma as its CM face. Will the people of Delhi want to make such a person their CM?” Arvind Kejriwal posted on X.

In another post, Arvind Kejriwal alleged that a BJP leader was caught distributing money to voters.

“I just returned from several areas in my New Delhi Vidhan Sabha constituency. People everywhere told me that these individuals are openly buying votes. They are offering Rs 1,100 for one vote. People said they would take the money but not vote for them,” the AAP chief stated.

“If you had worked for the public in the past ten years instead of abusing me, you wouldn’t need to resort to buying votes in this election,” he added.

Amidst notices issued by senior Delhi government officials disavowing the Aam Aadmi Party’s registration process for two schemes in the capital, AAP leader Atishi accused the BJP of distributing cash in the New Delhi assembly constituency, where Arvind Kejriwal is contesting elections.

Atishi alleged that BJP leader and former West Delhi MP Parvesh Verma was caught distributing money at his official residence.

“The BJP is distributing cash to people after checking their voter cards in the New Delhi constituency. Today, Parvesh Verma was caught red-handed giving out money at his official residence, allocated to him as an MP. Women from various slums in the constituency were called there and given Rs 1,100 in envelopes,” Atishi said during a press conference.

She claimed that crores of rupees were stashed at Mr Verma’s residence and urged the Election Commission to direct the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Delhi Police to raid the premises and arrest him.

“I want to inform the ED and CBI that cash worth crores of rupees is still at Parvesh Verma’s house. I urge the Election Commission to instruct the ED and Delhi Police to raid his official residence and arrest him immediately. The BJP is attempting to win a lost election. We will officially lodge complaints with the police and the Election Commission. The pamphlets used for distributing money also carry pictures of PM Modi and JP Nadda,” she added.

This controversy follows public notices issued by the Department of Women and Child Development, which declared the Mahila Samman Yojana as “non-existent.” The department clarified that no such scheme has been officially notified.

In the notice, the department stated that any private individual or political party collecting information through forms or registrations in the name of the Mahila Samman Yojana is committing fraud.

“It is clarified that no such scheme has been notified by the Delhi Government,” the department noted, adding that people had been visiting government hospitals and offices seeking information about the scheme.

The Delhi Assembly polls are expected to be held in early 2025. In the 2020 elections, AAP won 62 of the 70 seats, while the BJP secured eight.

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

New Delhi:

The BJP attacked the ruling AAP on Tuesday accusing it of helping illegal Rohingyas and Bangladeshis in Delhi settle down by providing them official documents, and then use them as its vote bank.

No immediate reaction was available from the AAP over BJP’s allegation.

Former BJP MP Parvesh Verma told PTI “We all know they do not vote for the BJP… they are AAP’s vote bank.” Mr Verma alleged once illegal immigrants laid Jhuggis (tenements) in the city, AAP leaders provided them with help and official documents like ration cards to settle them down so that they could get their votes in the elections.

The former MP, who is gearing up to contest the upcoming Delhi Assembly polls from New Delhi seat, said he has identified some places in the constituency with concentration of such people and filed a complaint with the district magistrate to take appropriate action.

AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal is sitting MLA from the New Delhi seat.

In a post on X, Mr Kejriwal without naming anyone , alleged “They have have started buying votes in my constituency. Openly giving Rs 1,000 cash per vote.” Mr Kejriwal has said in the past that voters should take money from the BJP but vote for the AAP.

Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva charged that ever since the BJP demanded an investigation into illegal Bangladeshi and Rohingya voters in Delhi, Mr Kejriwal was flustered because these “illegal infiltrators were perhaps the foundation of AAP’s victory in Delhi elections”.

A BJP delegation recently met Election Commission officials, alleging illegal Rohingya and Bangladeshis were registered as voters in Delhi at the behest of the AAP.

Delhi Police on Tuesday arrested 11 persons, claiming to have unearthed a gang involved in illegal immigration of Bangladeshi nationals.

Among those arrested, four are Bangladeshi citizens and the rest were allegedly involved in making forged documents, an official said.

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