As the Delhi Assembly elections get closer, Aam Aadmi Party on Sunday released a list of 40 star campaigners.
Party leaders, including Chief Minister Atishi, national convenors Arvind Kejriwal, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, former Delhi mayor Shelly Oberoi, AAP’s RS MP Raghav Chadha have been included in the list.
Various other leaders, such as Sandeep Pathak, Pankaj Gupta, Sateynder Jail, Harbhajan Singh, Saurabh Bhardawj, Imrain Hussain, Mukesh Ahlawat have been included.
Delhi will go to polls in a single phase on February 5, with countring of votes to happen on February 8.
However, the triangular Delhi Assembly election battle has intensified with just over two weeks left for the polls, as Congress, AAP and BJP have traded sharp words and criticised each other.
Delhi CM Atishi alleged today that party’s leader Arvind Kejriwal was attacked by “criminals and goons,” and also said that they were associated with BJP.
Atishi alleged that Kejriwal was attacked by three individuals, including Rohit Tyagi, who she claims is a close associate of BJP’s New Delhi assembly seat candidate Parvesh Verma. Verma is going to contest against Kejriwal in the polls.
“It is clear that criminals and goons were sent to kill Arvind Kejriwal. The second person involved in the attack is Rohit Tyagi, who constantly stays with Pravesh Verma and has been involved in campaigning for Pravesh Verma. He is also a criminal.
There is a theft case in 2011 and a case of attempt to murder, which carries a punishment of 10 years…The third person who was present there is named Sumit, he too has a case of theft, robbery and attempt to murder going on,” said Atishi.
During a press conference held here, Atishi showed photographs of the alleged attacker with Parvesh Verma.
Countering the allegation, BJP has demanded the arrest of Kejriwal, claiming that the national convenor “ran over” one of their party workers.
“Whichever area you (Arvind Kejriwal) are going to, people are showing you black flags and demanding answers. So all of them are goons. This means that the entire public of Delhi are goons,” Parvesh Verma replied to AAP’s allegations.
Verma also claimed that Arvind Kejriwal is not confident about victory in the Delhi assembly polls.
“Arvind Kejriwal is losing…Three youths from the Valmiki community made just one mistake and that is asking Arvind Kejriwal for answers about jobs…If anyone asks them (Arvind Kejriwal) anything, beat them up and say that I (Arvind Kejriwal) was attacked,” he alleged.
Trading words, AAP’s MP Sanjay Singh called BJP a “party of slogans,” which cannot give a future to the people of Delhi.
“The way Arvind Kejriwal is being attacked, all I can say on this is that the party of slogans can only attack. It cannot give any future to Delhi and its people,” the AAP MP told reporters.
The party also attempted to release their documentary named ‘unbreakable,’ and alleged that “BJP’s police” and the Election Commission are working together to ensure that the documentary is not released.
The film is based on the time when AAP leaders including former CM Arvind Kejriwal, former Deputy CM Manish Sisodia, and others, went to jail.
The election crowd funding campaign of Delhi CM Atishi also came to an end today as she completed her goal of reaching Rs 40 lakh, doing it in 1 week. She had started the campaign on January 12.
“In just one week, over 740 of you came together to help me achieve the Rs40 lakh crowdfunding target! This isn’t just financial support–it’s a resounding endorsement of clean, honest, and transformative politics of the Aam Aadmi Party,” CM Atishi wrote on X.
“With the target now achieved, I am formally closing the #DonateForAtishi campaign. Thank you for believing in this journey. Your trust and generosity inspire me to continue working towards a better Delhi,” she added.
Several AAP leaders joined the BJP today, in the presence of party’s state president Virendraa Sachdeva.
Kapil Naagar, who had contested elections twice from Kamla Nagar ward of Model Town Legislative Assembly, joined the BJP. Along with him, more than 100 workers of Aam Aadmi Party also joined the BJP.
Several AAP workers also joined the BJP in the presence of Ramesh Bidhuri, party’s candidate from the Kalkaji assembly. Bidhuri is pitted against Delhi CM Atishi.
Speaking at the occasion, Bidhuri said, “I would like to thank all of you for being a part of PM Modi ji’s family. There is nothing more fortunate than this for us. Modi ji says only one thing. Everyone’s support, everyone’s development, everyone’s faith, everyone’s effort. You will all have to make an effort. In 2047, India will be recognized as a developed nation.”
Congress has also traded accusations and attacks against the ruling AAP, with party’s candidate from Kasturba Nagar Assembly constituencyAbhishek Dutt saying that Kejriwal’s life is “dedicated to liquor mafia.”
“Arvind Kejriwal’s life is dedicated to the liquor mafia…How much development work has Arvind Kejriwal done in the last 11 years? Arvind Kejriwal, Atishi, Manish Sisodia, Gopal Rai are going to lose the election. AAP’s lie in Delhi has been exposed,” Dutt told ANI.
Congress candidate for New Delhi Assembly constituency Sandeep Dikshit, who is going against Kejriwal in a triangular fight also accused Kejriwal of not doing any work and just building a “luxurious building” for himself.
“In the last 10 years, did you (Arvind Kejriwal) not remember that you could have written a letter?… He (Arvind Kejriwal) gets a luxurious building worth crores constructed for himself… What have you (Arvind Kejriwal) done in the last 10 years?… During Sheila Dikshit’s time, DDA had given new land for 100 schools, out of which work started on only 10. Why has work not started on the remaining 90? Where are those lands?” Dikshit told ANI.