BackBJP, AAP step up rhetoric as campaign enters last lap
Former AAP volunteers raisefresh allegations against party over illegal donations as BJP backs group's charges
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New Delhi: With just a few days to go for polling to elect a new Delhi assembly, the exchanges between the two principal rivals, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) have turned acerbic.
On Monday, fresh allegations were made against the Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP for allegedly receiving illegal donations. AAP was accused by a group called AVAM (AAP Volunteers Action Manch) which comprises of former volunteers of the party.
The group has alleged that the party received sums of ₹ 50 lakh each in April last year from four separate accounts that are from companies that have provided fake addresses and did not conduct any business.
The BJP, supporting the results of the group, immediately launched an attack on the party.
“We are talking about a party that harps on transparency and making politics clean. This party has been attacking parties viciously saying that we are the evil incarnations and they are the only ones pure," said BJP spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman.
The latest attack comes in the middle of an advertising campaign seeking to discredit Kejriwal.
AAP dismissed the allegations and made available their books for investigation.
“As Delhi elections are coming closer, the games that were played last time are being once again played. We want these elections to be fought on issues that matter such as water, electricity," said AAP spokesperson and senior leader Yogendra Yadav.
“There will be more allegations that will follow. AAP from the first day has said that we are willing to have any form of investigation. If you can prove anything that shows that we are guilty. AAP is the only party that puts all its records for funding on the website. There is no rule that requires that. Our records have been checked earlier and we are open for more investigation if you feel the need," Yadav added.
Since elections were announced in the capital earlier last month, the two parties have constantly accused each other. It started with AAP alleging a nexus between power discoms and Delhi state unit president Satish Upadhyay.
In the last week, BJP has launched a series of advertisements that have triggered controversy. AAP claims that an advertisement published on Monday targets Kejriwal’s sub-caste.
“Today we went to the Election Commission (EC) to complain against the way BJP has started its advertisement attack. BJP has crossed all limits now, they have tagged an entire sect of the Indian society and called it ‘upadravi’," said AAP national secretary Pankaj Gupta, according to the Press Trust of India.
One of the meanings of the word is anarchist.
The BJP has claimed it used a political metaphor, but AAP has been quick to portray the ad as a slur on the entire Agarwal community to which Kejriwal belongs.
Many of Delhi’s traders belong to this community.
BJP also approached EC on Monday alleging that AAP has violated the model code by trying to give a “casteist and religious" tone to a “political statement" made by it in the advertisement.
Political analysts say that the tone of the campiagns is only to be expected.
“This mud slinging is becoming a part of the election routine. Elections are no longer contested on merit of the issue," said Bidyut Chakrabarty, a New Delhi-based political analyst.
Delhi goes to the polls on 7 February and the results will be declared on 10 February.
PTI contributed to this story.
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