In the lead-up to the Delhi Assembly elections, both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) have escalated their political rivalry with aggressive poster campaigns aimed at swaying public opinion.
The BJP has made serious allegations against the AAP, accusing the party of engaging in voter fraud to maintain power. A BJP poster claims that Arvind Kejriwal, the AAP chief, is involved in fraudulent voter registrations, suggesting that multiple entries of voters aged between 40 and 80 have been made at a single address without the knowledge of the homeowner. The BJP has branded this practice as a “new game by Kejriwal to rig votes,” fueling its accusations of election manipulation.
In response to the accusations, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal expressed frustration, claiming that the people of Delhi were “angry” about such tactics. Meanwhile, Delhi’s Chief Minister Atishi further elaborated on the BJP’s alleged actions. She accused the BJP-led central government of granting powers to the Lieutenant Governor (LG) that allow for temple demolitions without the consultation of the elected Delhi government. Atishi referred specifically to a decision made on November 22, when the Religious Committee, now directly under the LG’s control, reportedly approved the demolition of temples in areas like West Patel Nagar, Dilshad Garden, and Sultanpuri, in addition to a Buddhist temple in Sundar Nagari.
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“The BJP’s dual face is clear. They claim to protect Hinduism but work to destroy temples,” Atishi asserted during a press conference, reiterating her criticism of the BJP’s actions.
The BJP, in turn, responded with a list of allegations against the AAP government. BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi accused Arvind Kejriwal of failing to address key issues like clean water, women’s safety, slum rehabilitation, pollution, and cleaning the Yamuna River. “Instead of solving these problems, Kejriwal’s government has done nothing,” Trivedi stated, adding that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, the BJP has restored credibility to Indian politics, contrasting this with AAP’s approach.
Further fueling the tension, BJP MP Praveen Khandelwal dismissed AAP’s recent initiatives, such as honorariums for priests and granthis, as mere political gimmicks aimed at electoral gains. “The Delhi treasury is empty. Kejriwal only makes announcements to gain electoral benefits,” Khandelwal commented, underscoring the BJP’s ongoing attack on the AAP’s track record ahead of the upcoming elections.
