Delhi: Parvesh Verma caught distributing money for votes: AAP; Verma claims charity

In a press conference at the AAP headquarters, chief minister Atishi, displaying photos and videos of women exiting Verma’s residence with ₹1,100 and registration forms, alleged Verma “has been caught red-handed”

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Wednesday accused Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP’s) former West Delhi MP Parvesh Verma of “openly distributing cash” to voters in the New Delhi assembly segment from his residence at 20, Windsor Place, Lutyens Delhi. Rebutting the AAP’s claims, Verma said the act was of providing monetary aid to destitute women registered with NGO Rashtriya Swabhiman Sansthan that was started by his father, former Delhi CM Sahib Singh Verma, 25 years ago.

Arvind Kejriwal and Atishi addressing a press conference on Wednesday. (HT Photo)

In a press conference at the AAP headquarters, chief minister Atishi, displaying photos and videos of women exiting Verma’s residence with ₹1,100 and registration forms, alleged Verma “has been caught red-handed” and demanded that the Election Commission of India, Delhi Police and Enforcement Directorate (ED) take action in the matter.

New Delhi is AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal’s home constituency. Although the BJP has not officially announced its candidates for the Delhi polls, Verma is the front-runner from the segment and has been campaigning extensively as the BJP candidate in the constituency.

Arvind Kejriwal also accused Verma of “buying votes”. In a series of posts on X, Kejriwal said: “These people are giving ₹1,100 to every voter and asking them to vote for their party. Are you helping the needy or openly buying votes? Your father must be ashamed of a traitor son like you.”

Kejriwal said that he visited multiple pockets of the New Delhi constituency to check the issue. “Everywhere, people told me that these people are openly buying votes. They are paying ₹1,100 for one vote. People said that they will take money but will not vote for them.”

“According to sources, BJP is going to declare Pravesh Verma as its CM face. Will the people of Delhi want to make such a person their CM?” he said.

Atishi, meanwhile, claimed Verma had crores of rupees at his residence. “Delhi Police, ECI and ED should raid the house right now and arrest him for distributing money. We will file an official complaint with police and ECI. Cash is being distributed with BJP pamphlets ,” she said.

In his rebuttal, Verma said he was “happy” that he was “not distributing liquor, as Kejriwal did”.

“Yesterday, I saw Arvind Kejriwal’s tweet, and today I heard the press conference of Delhi’s temporary chief minister. AAP MP Sanjay Singh is also around my house. Rashtriya Swabhiman Sansthan, started by my father around 25 years ago, has been helping people, and has redeveloped two villages devastated by an earthquake in Gujarat and four villages in Odisha destroyed by a cyclone,” Verma said.

“Today, I feel very good that Atishi ji and Kejriwal ji are appreciating the work we are doing. I have witnessed the misery of women here, which Kejriwal ji could not see in the past 11 years. When I met them, they told me they neither have pensions nor ration cards, jobs, or access to medical facilities. I decided that my organisation would create a scheme to help them on a monthly basis,” he said.

“AAP is rattled by my NGO’s scheme in New Delhi…. Instead of doing press conferences, she should stand in support of my work… The Model Code of Conduct is yet to be imposed. This means that there is nothing that should prevent Kejriwal from executing his own promises to the women of Delhi,” he added.