In a sharp political confrontation, Delhi Chief Minister Atishi and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders have accused Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Parvesh Verma of distributing ₹1,100 to women voters in Arvind Kejriwal’s New Delhi constituency. The allegation has sparked a fresh row ahead of the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections, scheduled for February next year.
Allegations of Vote-Buying by AAP
At a press conference on Wednesday, Atishi accused Parvesh Verma of paying women from slum clusters ₹1,100 at his residence in Windsor Place, New Delhi. The money was allegedly handed over in envelopes, with voter ID details being recorded. Atishi claimed that these actions were aimed at influencing voters in Kejriwal’s constituency, where the AAP convenor has been contesting elections.
“The BJP is distributing money to people by checking their voter cards in the New Delhi assembly constituency, from where Arvind Kejriwal contests elections. Today, Parvesh Verma was caught red-handed giving out money at his official residence, which he received as an MP. Women from various slums in the New Delhi constituency were called there and given ₹1,100 in an envelope,” Atishi stated, according to ANI.
Kejriwal’s Statement
Delhi’s former Chief Minister and AAP chief, Arvind Kejriwal, also commented on the issue, alleging that the BJP was attempting to buy votes by paying ₹1,100 to women voters. Kejriwal said that he had visited several areas within the New Delhi constituency, where locals informed him that BJP was openly distributing money. “People said that people will take money from them but will not vote for them,” he tweeted.
Kejriwal also raised concerns over the potential declaration of Parvesh Verma as BJP’s Chief Ministerial candidate. “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?” Kejriwal asked.
Parvesh Verma’s Defense
In response to the accusations, Parvesh Verma vehemently denied the charges, claiming that the money was distributed as part of a welfare initiative under an NGO named ‘Rashtriya Swabhiman’, founded by his late father, Sahib Singh Verma, the former Delhi Chief Minister. Verma asserted that the money was not intended for vote-buying but was meant to provide financial assistance to struggling women.
“I am seeing the pain of women which Arvind Kejriwal could not see for 11 years. They were hassled… I decided that we would give them ₹1,100 per month. At least I am not distributing liquor like Arvind Kejriwal. I am happy that I am helping people,” Verma told reporters, referring to the controversy surrounding AAP’s previous campaigns.
Verma went on to highlight that Rashtriya Swabhiman has been involved in various social welfare initiatives, including redeveloping villages devastated by natural disasters. He mentioned the NGO’s role in rebuilding two villages in Gujarat following an earthquake and four villages in Odisha after a cyclone.
Election Preparations and Political Reactions
The accusations come amid a tense political atmosphere as both the AAP and BJP gear up for the Delhi Assembly elections. The BJP has consistently criticized the AAP for various alleged missteps, while the AAP has accused the BJP of undermining the city’s governance.
The issue of vote-buying has been a longstanding concern in Indian elections, with various parties often at the center of such allegations. In this case, the charges against Verma have only intensified the political rivalry between the AAP and BJP ahead of the February polls.
As the election date draws near, both parties are expected to escalate their campaigns, with charges and counter-charges dominating the public discourse.
The Delhi Assembly election is crucial for both the AAP, which has been in power for the last two terms, and the BJP, which is looking to make inroads in the national capital after its success in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
The allegations of vote-buying have put Parvesh Verma and the BJP under scrutiny, with the AAP accusing them of using underhanded tactics to sway voters. However, Verma has denied the charges, attributing the financial distribution to his NGO’s social work. As the political battle in Delhi intensifies, this controversy is set to be a key talking point in the run-up to the February elections.