A significant political showdown has unfolded in Delhi, just days before the 2025 assembly elections, with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at loggerheads following the seizure of cash, liquor, and AAP pamphlets from a car with a 'Punjab Sarkar' board.
The incident has ignited fierce allegations and counter-allegations between the two parties, each accusing the other of using underhand tactics in the lead-up to the election.
The controversy began when authorities in Delhi recovered Rs 8 lakh in cash, bottles of liquor, and several AAP campaign materials from a vehicle marked with a 'Punjab Sarkar' sign.
The BJP was quick to link this to the AAP government in Punjab, accusing them of involvement in the scandal. Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva alleged that AAP’s leader Arvind Kejriwal, sensing defeat in Delhi, was resorting to the use of liquor and money to influence voters.
He linked this incident to previous controversies surrounding Kejriwal and liquor sales, questioning the source of the money.
Sachdeva remarked, “Punjab government’s vehicle means AAP’s vehicle. AAP’s campaign material and Rs 10 lakh were hidden inside it. First liquor, now money, Arvind Kejriwal is losing the Delhi elections, so now the focus is on liquor and money. He was already a liquor businessman, but the money from 'Sheesh Mahal' is now being used in Delhi assembly elections."
Further accusations were made by BJP leader RP Singh, who called on the Election Commission of India to take notice of the incident. Singh claimed the Punjab government had deployed its officers in Delhi, intensifying the BJP's call for accountability.
Parvesh Verma, BJP's candidate from New Delhi, claimed that thousands of AAP workers had been brought in from Punjab, pointing out the vehicles bearing "Government of Punjab" markings.
In response to these allegations, AAP was quick to deny any wrongdoing and accused the BJP of fabricating the entire incident. Party MP Sanjay Singh firmly rejected the accusations, accusing the BJP of using a fake vehicle with a false number plate to discredit the Punjab government and AAP.
Singh asserted that the vehicle in question belonged to a completely different individual, Major Anubhav Singh Puri, previously stationed at the Army Dental College in Pathankot, and had no connection to the Punjab government.
Sanjay Singh went further in his remarks, questioning the legitimacy of the claims, "The number plate of this car belongs to another vehicle owned by Major Anubhav Singh Puri. The BJP is using a fake car and a fake number plate to defame AAP and the Punjab government. What if tomorrow the BJP gets a bomb planted in Tamil Nadu Bhawan?" Singh also raised concerns about the security of Delhi, asking how a vehicle with a fake number plate could have entered the capital without being flagged by the authorities.
He implied that the Delhi Police may have been complicit in this incident, suggesting a coordinated effort between the police and the BJP.
The Punjab government also weighed in on the matter, rejecting the BJP's claims and insisting that the seized vehicle was not an official one.
A statement from the government clarified, "We have searched our records and found that no such vehicle is owned or hired by the Government of Punjab. The apprehended vehicle does not belong to the Government of Punjab at all."
As the political storm escalates, the matter continues to stir public debate and has heightened tensions between the ruling parties in Delhi and Punjab.
With Delhi set to cast its votes on February 5, 2025, and the counting scheduled for February 8, the outcome of this incident could potentially influence the election outcome.
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