BJP trying to delete thousands of voters ahead of Delhi polls: Arvind Kejriwal's big charge

Arvind Kejriwal accused BJP of manipulating voter lists in Delhi ahead of the assembly polls. He claimed this 'Operation Lotus' has been ongoing since Dec 15.

Updated on: Dec 29, 2024, 13:54:42 IST

By HT News Desk

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Aam Aadmi Party convenor Arvind Kejriwal, in a fiery address on Sunday, accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of attempting to manipulate the electoral process in the national capital. The former Delhi chie minister claimed that the BJP has been tampering with voter lists as part of a covert operation dubbed "Operation Lotus," which he alleges has been orchestrated since December 15.

Arvind Kejriwal, National Convenor of Aam Admi Party, addressing a press conference at party headquarters in New Delhi. (HT Photo)

Speaking at a press conference, Kejriwal stated, “The BJP has already accepted its defeat in Delhi. They have no chief ministerial face, no vision, and no credible candidates. To win the elections at any cost, they are resorting to dishonest tactics like manipulating the voter list.” Kejriwal further alleged that this operation was designed to influence the upcoming Delhi state assembly elections.

"In my New Delhi assembly constituency - their (BJP) 'operation Lotus' has been going on since December 15. In these 15 days, they have filed application for the deletion of 5,000 votes and the addition of 7,500 votes. Why there is a need to conduct elections if you are manipulating approximately 12% of total voters in the assembly? A kind of 'game' is being going on in the name of election," he added.

AAP's allegations against BJP

The remarks follow earlier accusations made by Delhi Chief Minister Atishi, who accused BJP leaders of bribing voters in the New Delhi constituency, where Kejriwal is set to contest the 2025 elections. Atishi alleged that BJP’s Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma, a former Member of Parliament from West Delhi, was caught distributing money at his official residence in an effort to influence voters.

In response to the bribery allegations, a criminal complaint has been filed against Verma at the Barakhamba Police station in New Delhi. The complaint accuses the former Lok Sabha MP of offering bribes to voters to sway the outcome of the election.

Assembly polls in Delhi are expected to be held in early 2025. In the 2020 elections, AAP won 62 of the 70 seats, while the BJP secured eight.

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HT News Desk
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