The ongoing political rivalry between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) intensified after AAP accused BJP of manipulating the electoral rolls ahead of the elections.
The allegations specifically targeted BJP leader Parvesh Verma, who is contesting against Arvind Kejriwal in the New Delhi seat. The Election Commission responded by ordering an investigation into the matter after a complaint was filed by AAP, led by Delhi Chief Minister Atishi.
In defense, Parvesh Verma stated that he was open to any investigation. He emphasised that his goal was to defeat Arvind Kejriwal and criticised AAP for failing to deliver on promises during their 11 years in power.
Verma accused AAP of not addressing the people's concerns and not providing jobs. He further explained that his interactions with local companies were simply to help constituents find employment and questioned why Kejriwal had an issue with this.
'Purvanchal' remarks spark protests
The situation escalated when Arvind Kejriwal made remarks accusing the BJP of bringing people from Bihar and UP to create "fake votes," leading to protests. The BJP responded by accusing Kejriwal of insulting Purvanchali people.
In response, Kejriwal defended himself, stating that AAP had done more for the Purvanchali community than any other party.
Kejriwal claimed that the BJP was deleting the names of Purvanchali voters under the guise of removing names of Rohingya and Bangladeshi migrants. He further stated that AAP was the only party that had worked to uplift the Purvanchali community in Delhi.
Also Read: Kejriwal faces uphill task in New Delhi constituency
Focus on slums and development
Kejriwal also criticised the BJP for neglecting the Purvanchali people living in slums and Kachhi Colonies in Delhi. He noted that before 2014, these colonies lacked basic development and that over 90 per cent of residents in these areas were from Purvanchal.
He challenged the BJP to explain what they had done for these communities in the past decade.
The exchange between Arvind Kejriwal and Parvesh Verma highlights the growing tensions in the lead-up to the elections, with both sides accusing each other of neglecting key issues affecting the people of Delhi.
Also Read: Kejriwal alleges BJP manipulating electoral roll, complains to EC
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