Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of attempting to mislead residents of slum areas (jhuggis) by offering Rs 3,000 and the promise of home voting through the Election Commission.
Kejriwal alleged that BJP workers were going door to door in these areas, offering money and making false claims about home voting arrangements. “Today, I received many calls from jhuggis. BJP workers are telling people to take Rs 3,000, and that the Election Commission will facilitate home voting. I was shocked when I heard this. It’s a conspiracy to trap you,” Kejriwal said.
The Delhi Chief Minister urged people to be cautious and not fall for the alleged trap, warning that voting for the BJP could result in serious consequences. “I couldn’t sleep last night after hearing this. I am your big brother, and I advise you not to fall for their tricks. If you vote for them and get your finger inked, they might file a case against you and arrest you,” Kejriwal claimed.
While Kejriwal strongly discouraged voting for the BJP, he suggested that residents accept any money being offered. “If they are giving you money, take it, but don’t vote for them,” he added.
Kejriwal also expressed concern that if the BJP were to come to power, they would target slum settlements for demolition. “Even if by mistake the BJP comes to power, they will remove jhuggis. In Mumbai, they gave Dharavi—Asia’s largest slum—to one of their friends,” he said.
In a related development, Kejriwal wrote a letter to the Chief Election Commissioner, alleging that his party workers in the New Delhi Assembly constituency were being intimidated and harassed by BJP workers and Delhi Police. In his letter, Kejriwal voiced concerns about the unlawful treatment of AAP volunteers and called for the deployment of independent observers to ensure free and fair elections. He also demanded that the authorities take action against the misuse of police powers and hold BJP workers accountable for any violence.
The AAP leader is contesting against Congress’s Sandeep Dikshit and BJP’s Parvesh Verma in the New Delhi Assembly constituency. The Delhi Assembly elections are set to take place on February 5, with the vote count scheduled for February 8.
