In a press conference on Sunday, Arvind Kejriwal, the national convenor of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), launched a scathing attack on the BJP, accusing it of attempting to manipulate the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections through tampering with voter lists.
Kejriwal claimed that the BJP‘s alleged operation, termed “Operation Lotus,” has been going on since December 15, 2024, and is aimed at influencing the election results by manipulating voter rolls.
Kejriwal’s Attack on BJP, ‘Playing Games’
Speaking at the AAP headquarters in New Delhi, Kejriwal stated that, “The BJP has already accepted its defeat in Delhi. They have no credible candidates, no chief ministerial face, and no vision for the city. In a desperate bid to win at any cost, they are resorting to dishonest tactics, including manipulating the voter list.”
नई दिल्ली विधानसभा में भी BJP लोगों के वोट कटवा कर चुनाव जीतना चाहती है। एक और बड़ा ख़ुलासा – https://t.co/KFxkEO0nh0
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) December 29, 2024
Kejriwal, who is set to contest the New Delhi Assembly seat in the 2025 elections, claimed that in his constituency, the BJP has filed applications to delete 5,000 voters and add 7,500 new ones, impacting nearly 12% of the electorate. He further alleged that such actions are part of a wider strategy to alter the demographics of constituencies across Delhi. “Why hold elections if they are manipulating approximately 12% of the voters in the assembly? This is a game being played in the name of elections,” Kejriwal said.
The AAP leader pointed at Shahdara, in which the BJP allegedly submitted an application to cancel 11,800 votes; the ECI allegedly checked this action when it intervened. Reiterating his doubts about the BJP’s intentions, Kejriwal claimed that “the party wants to crush democracy.”.
Kejriwal expressed his skepticism about the Election Commission’s legitimacy, particularly in light of the October 29, 2024, summary revision. He asserted that roughly one lakh additional voters were added to the New Delhi constituency on this occasion. Additionally, Kejriwal claimed that the BJP had questioned 12 percent of these voters and had thus disparaged the Election Commission’s actions.
“If these manipulations go unchecked, it will call into question the integrity of the election process itself,” Kejriwal warned.
The AAP leader also noted that the BJP had allegedly filed an application to delete the vote of Sanjay Singh’s wife, a member of the AAP and MP representing the Rajya Sabha. Singh’s family resides in the New Delhi Assembly constituency, further fueling Kejriwal’s accusations of political targeting.
Kejriwal also urged the Election Registration Officers (EROs) to be vigilant in verifying any changes to voter lists, particularly if they exceed 2% in deletions or 4% in additions. “Remember, your signatures will remain on those files for years. Do not commit any wrongdoing; otherwise, you will be held accountable,” Kejriwal warned the officials, urging them not to succumb to political pressure.
Delhi CM Atishi Accuses BJP of Bribery
Kejriwal’s statements followed earlier accusations by Delhi Chief Minister Atishi, who alleged that BJP leaders had resorted to bribing voters in the New Delhi constituency. Atishi accused BJP’s Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma, a former Member of Parliament from West Delhi, of distributing money at his official residence to sway voters. In response, a criminal complaint was filed against Verma at the Barakhamba Police Station in New Delhi, accusing him of bribery to influence the electoral outcome.
भाजपा दिल्ली का चुनाव बुरी तरह हार रही है। इनके पास न कोई CM चेहरा है और न ही दिल्लीवालों के लिए कोई विज़न है। इसलिए चुनाव में हेराफेरी करने के किए भाजपा अब हर हथकंडे अपना रही है।
-बड़े स्तर पर "आप" समर्थकों के वोट काटे जा रहे है।
-हजारों की संख्या में फर्जी वोट बनवाए जा रहे… https://t.co/9n4gI69pqf— Atishi (@AtishiAAP) December 29, 2024
Earlier, AAP MP Sanjay Singh raised questions about the lack of action by Sandeep Dixit, the Congress leader, against Parvesh Verma. Singh pointed out that while Dixit had filed a complaint against AAP, he had failed to take action against the BJP’s alleged attempts to manipulate the election process.
The 2025 Delhi Assembly elections are scheduled to be held in early 2025, with the AAP aiming to retain its dominance after a spectacular win in the 2020 elections, where it secured 62 out of 70 seats. The BJP, which secured eight seats in the last election, has been struggling to find a strong foothold in the national capital.
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