Delhi election campaign hits fever pitch

Union home minister and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Amit Shah on Sunday accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of filling its coffers through fraudulent means over the past decade, coining a new name for the party based on its acronym - "Aawaidh Aamdaniwali Party" (illegal income party).

- Paras Singh

NEW DELHI:

Speaking at a public rally in Narela in support of BJP's Raj Karan Khatri, Shah alleged that the AAP has done no work in Delhi over the past decade, but has "told lies" in order to win votes.

"The AAP has only gathered votes by telling lies and moving forward. The Aam Aadmi Party now means Awaidh Aamdaniwali Party. They contest elections in Punjab, Gujarat, Goa with the money taken from Delhi. The state's education minister opened liquor shops near temples and schools, and ruined a generation. [They] engaged in corruption worth thousands of crores. In the end, bade miyan and chhote miyan both went to jail," Shah said, referring to AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal and senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia.

The BJP referred to January 26 as "Super Sunday", with senior leaders addressing at least 20 large public meetings, and functionaries holding over 100 mandal-level meets.

The minister also alluded to Kejriwal's arrest and subsequent bail in connection with alleged irregularities in the promulgation in the Delhi excise policy 2021-22, and said that his bail does not translate to "a clean chit", as stated by the AAP.

"Sheesh Mahal" in focus Shah said that Kejriwal, during the India Against Corruption movement that predated the AAP, had promised to not form a

"He made a political party and then went back on his words on taking support from Congress, taking cars, security, and government bungalows. He went on to make Sheesh Mahal [a satirical name the BJP uses for the bungalow where Kejriwal stayed during his tenure as CM] by demolishing four bungalows. It has marble worth ₹6 crore, motorised curtains worth ₹4-6 crore, recliners for ₹10 lakh," Shah said.