New Delhi [India], January 23: Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit has alleged that both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) are involved in distributing money to influence voters in the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections, claiming that complaints have been lodged with the Election Commission, but no action has been taken.
Dikshit, who is contesting in a triangular fight for the New Delhi Assembly seat against AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal and BJP’s Parvesh Verma, said that people from East Kidwai Nagar showed him packets allegedly distributed by Parvesh Verma, and added that AAP was also handing out Rs 1000 to voters.
In a conversation with ANI, Dikshit said, “This is a truth that money is being distributed… When someone is failing and has nothing substantial to talk about regarding development, they start resorting to distributing money. Yesterday, I was in East Kidwai Nagar, and people there gave me a packet, saying that Parvesh Ji is distributing this. Complaints have been filed with the Election Commission several times, but no action has been taken. I have a question for Sanjay Singh too, as we were campaigning in Kali Bari area, and women there told me that AAP was distributing Rs 1000 and they were going for it.”
Meanwhile, BJP candidate Parvesh Verma alleged that Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and his colleagues were distributing cash and alcohol to voters in New Delhi to influence the election outcome. “I have filed a complaint with the Election Commission and Delhi Police. In the past week, thousands of cars from Punjab with ‘Government of Punjab’ stickers have been roaming around New Delhi constituency, distributing alcohol, money, and CCTVs,” Verma said, claiming that AAP was making false allegations against him because they feared losing.
Verma also filed a defamation lawsuit against Arvind Kejriwal and Bhagwant Mann, seeking Rs. 100 crore in damages, which he promised to use for the people of New Delhi.
The AAP hit back at Verma’s accusations, with Kejriwal accusing him of “insulting” Punjabis. “There are lakhs of Punjabis in Delhi whose ancestors made countless sacrifices for the country. Calling them a threat to the country is an insult to their contributions,” Kejriwal posted on X, demanding an apology from BJP leaders.
As the election date approaches, the contest for the New Delhi Assembly seat intensifies between AAP, BJP, and Congress, with Delhi voters heading to the polls on February 5 and the results to be counted on February 8.