Delhi polls 2015: An acerbic campaign where no one was spared

Prime Minister Narendra Modi set the tone for the election battle by making a veiled reference to Arvind Kejriwal as an "anarchist" in the first BJP rally at Ramlila Maidan.

"We need development here, not anarchy. They are good at dharnas. We are good at running government," the Prime Minister said

After Kiran Bedi decided to make her political debut by joining the BJP, Congress came down hard on her terming it as "gross political opportunism".

Arvind Kejriwal welcomed his former comrades-in-arms with a politically correct tweet saying "I have been fond of Kiran Bediji. I always tried to convince her that she should join politics. I am happy she did it today".

However, the AAP niceties disappeared as soon as Shazia Ilmi followed Bedi and the verbal slugfest broke loose.

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BJP vs AAP: Battle for Delhi goes down to the wire as campaigning nears end

With just hours left before campaigning ends in Delhi, political parties have gone all out to convince voters in their favour, Thursday. As suggested by various opinion polls, the fight appears to be largely between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) with the Congress relegated to the third place.

The battle for Delhi has reached a crescendo with parties conducting road shows and rallies across the city.

For the BJP, the polls have turned into a matter of prestige as the party is keen to maintain its winning streak.

Speaking to reporters today, party’s CM candidate Kiran Bedi said that she was in the race to win it and promised good governance in the city if voted to power.

 

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Arvind Kejriwal trying to create blackmoney into white: BJP

Union Minister and senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad asked Kejriwal to answer to the queries posed to him for accepting funds from "dummy" companies which "have fictitious addresses, have common directors and no business to show and are making no profits."

"All his claims to be the sole custodian of propriety, of probity, of morality, of standards of polity in India stand completely exposed because of his conspicuous silence to squarely face these searching questions.

"The political conduct has been completely contradictory to the standards Kejriwal set for himself," Prasad said.

He asked the AAP leader as to why he was running away from the truth and accused him of turning blackmoney into white. "I strongly condemn this," Prasad said.

"Mr Kejriwal please answer. You took money from such a company which does not have any business, any profit, whose directors are in many dummy companies with fictitious addresses. We want answers to these questions.

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Delhi Assembly polls: Arvind Kejriwal slams BJP advertisement

In a series of tweets today, AAP chief Kejriwal said, “Nathuram Godse killed Gandhiji on this day in 1948. BJP has killed Anna in its ad today. Shudn't BJP apologise?”

In the advertisement, BJP has also shown Kejriwal’s cartoon in which he is promising not to take support from congress, but he has been shown to have done "marriage" with congress.

In another tweet, Kejriwal asked his supporters to be vigilant, saying 'To all AAP volunteers n supporters. Evil forces will try to divert ur (your) attention. But pl (please) stay focused on positive agenda for Delhi."

"AAP is forming govt in Delhi. Get ready to serve Delhi and to make it safe for women", Kejriwal said in another tweet. Again he tweeted, "I will always pray for well being and good health of Annaji".

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Delhi polls: Kejriwal alleges conspiracy to defame candidates, to move Election Commission

Terming it as a "desperate attempt" by the opposition, the AAP chief claimed that such attempts were made in the past as well.

"Last yr, farzi (fake) stings were shown against 6 of our candidates a few days before elections to defame us (sic)," Kejriwal said in a series of tweets.

He expressed apprehension that "similar conspiracies" are being planned to malign the party before the upcoming elections.  

"A senior leader, famous 4 planting stories, has hatched conspiracy against some AAP candidates n they will plant farzi stories in media (sic)," he said.

Kejriwal also said the party was lodging a complaint with the Election Commission over the issue. "But Delhiites won't believe it. They know this is last desperate attempt of our opponents who r losing badly...We are making a complaint to EC also," he tweeted.

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JD(U), Congress at odds over Nitish party support to AAP in Delhi

"JD(U) will support Aam Admi Party of Arvind Kejriwal in Delhi," state JD(U) President Basistha Narayan Singh told reporters.

When asked that Congress was protesting this, Singh said JD(U) had ties with the Congress in Bihar only and outside the state they were free to chart a different course.      

Meanwhile, JD(U) National General Secretary K C Tyagi said there was a proposal to extend support to AAP in Delhi, but a decision had not yet been taken.

"Samajwadi Party and RJD have fielded candidates in Delhi and in such a condition JD(U) canvassing for AAP could not do better...we have kept the decision to support AAP on hold," Tyagi said.

Bihar JD(U) chief assertions on AAP came in the background of Congress in Bihar raising protest on it.

AICC member and chief spokesman of state Congress Prem Chandra Mishra had recently expressed unhappiness over Nitish Kumar campaigning for Kejriwal.

Mishra, in a statement on January 24, had reminded JD(U) that his party was extending support to Kumar's party ministry in Bihar.

"Earlier also Nitish Kumar extended support to INLD of imprisoned Om Prakash Chautala against Congress and now if he does the same in Delhi it will hurt the feeling of Congressmen," Mishra said in his statement.

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Delhi polls: Bedi sends legal notice to Kejriwal for using her photograph in AAP posters

"Yes, she has sent a notice to Kejriwal. He has been asked to ensure that the posters are removed," BJP's media convener Praveen Shankar Kapoor said.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has recently put up posters on numerous auto-rickshaws plying in the national capital, asking the people of Delhi to choose between Kejriwal and Bedi for the post of chief minister.

In the posters, the picture of Kejriwal has the word "imandar" (honest) printed below it while that of Bedi has "avsarvadi" (opportunist). Earlier, fellow party leader Jagdish Mukhi, too, had sent a notice to Kejriwal for using his photograph in similar posters, before the BJP declared Bedi as their chief ministerial candidate.

The AAP pitted Kejriwal against Mukhi, even though the BJP had said that they would contest the Delhi election under Prime Minister Narendra Modi without naming a CM candidate the BJP, however, later named Bedi for the post after she joined the party earlier this month.

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Kiran Bedi dodges Kejriwal's debate challenge, Maken ready

Throwing the challenge to Bedi, Kejriwal said such a debate will be a "good initiative" as people will know about plans and policies of the two main parties for the city which will help them in understanding various issues.

65-year-old Bedi, who had joined BJP last week and was named its chief ministerial nominee last night, said she "accepted" the challenge but will only debate with him on the floor of Delhi Assembly and not during the campaign.

"I accept the challenge. I will do it in the Assembly and before that I am focusing on delivery rather than on debates because that's what he's been doing. He's only been debating. What I am doing is delivery of goals, services, programmes," said Bedi.

When told that Congress' Maken has also welcomed the move, Bedi, who will contest from BJP's traditional stronghold of Krishna Nagar in East Delhi, retorted, "While they are into drama, I am focused on work. These two have been indulging in drama. They have been doing it together also. I am focusing on work at this point."

Earlier, Kejriwal, who had worked with Bedi as part of Anna Hazare's Jan Lokpal movement before they parted ways, said both the leaders can debate on "concrete issues" for 1-2 hours.

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After Kiran Bedi, Shazia Ilmi officially joins BJP

Earlier in the Friday morning, Shazia Ilmi met BJP president Amit Shah at his residence here and said she will soon be joining the party.

During her meeting with Shah, Shazia was accompanied by BJP general secretary (organisation) Ram Lal and Delhi BJP chief Satish Upadhayay, among others.

"I had a very good meeting with Amit bhai and he welcomed me in the party. I will be joining the party soon," she said after the meeting.

Her meeting comes a day after former Team Anna member Kiran Bedi joined BJP. Shazia had earlier said that she will "expose" AAP. The BJP will use the two former associates of AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal against him in the elections.

While Bedi is a former founder member of Team Anna, Shazia unsuccessfully contested on the AAP tickets in last Delhi Assembly polls and Parliamentary polls. She later quit AAP.

Elections to Delhi Assembly are slated for February 7 and results will be out on February 10.

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Will fight against Kejriwal, if party wants: BJP leader Kiran Bedi

She rebutted AAP's criticism over changing her stand on not joining politics, saying she was free to make her own choices and her "aversion" was gone due to Modi's leadership.

"The constituency selection is always a decision of party. I will go by their decision. If they want me to fight against him, I will do so. Because they know better than I do. They haven't brought me to lose, they have brought me to win," the former IPS officer said when asked whether she is likely to be pitted against Kejriwal in the upcoming polls.

The AAP had yesterday termed her joining BJP as "shocking".

"It is sad and shocking that Bedi who had been maintaining that she will always remain apolitical and keep raising the issues of people has joined the BJP. Our best wishes are with her," party leader Sanjay Singh had said. AAP Chief Arvind Kejriwal had also taken a subtle dig at Bedi saying that he had also tried to convince her to take a plunge into politics.

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Kejriwal to present fresh evidence against Delhi BJP chief

The former chief minister had alleged a nexus between Upadhyay and certain power distribution companies, saying firms owned by him were installing and repairing meters for the discoms in the national capital.

On Wednesday, Upadhyay had said, "If Kejriwal fails to prove, I will file a criminal defamation case against him. If Kejriwal's allegations are found to be true, I will quit politics."

Taking a jibe at Upadhyay, Kejriwal on Thursday wondered whether the Delhi BJP chief would keep his words of quitting politics.

"Satish Upadhyay said he wud quit politucs if we present evidence. Today we will present evidence. Hope he keeps his word," Kejriwal tweeted.

He had also asked how BJP had made Upadhyay its Delhi chief when he has alleged links with power discom BSES.

He also alleged that Upadhyay owns six companies one of which had two VAT numbers which is against law.

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Delhi Assembly Elections: Polling to be held on February 7, counting on February 10

Addressing a press conference in national capital here, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) V S Sampath said the notifications for the polls will be announced on January 14 while January 21 will be the last date for filing the notifications for the assembly elections.

The CEC said the scrutiny of the papers will be held on January 22 and the last date for withdrawing the nominations will be January 24.

Sampath said as per the latest list, there is 1.30 crore voters in Delhi.

He said altogether 11,763 polling stations will be made for the elections for 70 assembly constituencies
in the national capital.

In last assembly election held in 2013, the BJP had won 31 seats while AAP bagged 28 seats in its debut elections. Congress managed to win only eight seats while others bagged three seats.

Delhiites can now check their names in the voters' list and also know the polling officer of their area through their smartphone with the election office here launching an android app - 'Delhi Election'.

"People can find out their names in electoral roll by downloading 'Delhi Election' aap in their smartphones. Besides, they can also check application status and their constituency through this android app launched recently," said a senior official.

 

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