AAP alleges BJP bringing 'fake' voters, EC orders probe

The Election Commission on Thursday asked its Delhi chief electoral officer to probe the Aam Aadmi Party's complaints against Bharatiya Janata Party leader Parvesh Verma and allegations of additions and deletions in the electoral roll of the New Delhi assembly seat.

Hours after Delhi Chief Minister and AAP leader Atishi led a delegation to the poll authority, the Commission directed the CEO to get the complaint inquired into, ascertain the actual facts, and take 'immediate appropriate action' as per the provisions of the Model Code of Conduct and electoral laws.

"Action Taken Report shall also be sent to the Commission," EC told its top official in Delhi.

An AAP delegation met the Commission on Thursday to raise allegations of violation of the Model Code of Conduct against Verma, the BJP's candidate from the New Delhi seat.

They also raised allegations of additions and deletions in the electoral roll of the assembly constituency of New Delhi.

A copy of the complaint by AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal against Verma was also submitted to the Commission by the party delegation.

A verbal skirmish erupted between the AAP and the BJP after Kejriwal accused the saffron party of manipulating the electoral rolls by registering 'fake' voters from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar in his constituency.

Hitting back, BJP chief J P Nadda accused the AAP supremo of insulting the people of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, claiming that the former Delhi chief minister referred to them as fake voters.

In the formal complaint to the EC, Kejriwal raised concerns over the addition of 13,000 new voters in just 15 days, between December 15 and January 8.

He alleged that several of the new voters were brought in from neighbouring states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, accusing the BJP of orchestrating a scheme to alter the election results.

Addressing the media after lodging the complaint, Kejriwal said, "How could 13,000 new voters appear suddenly in such a short span of time? Many of these voters have been brought in from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and other neighbouring states to create fake voter registrations. This manipulation undermines the election process."

Kejriwal's remarks sparked an immediate backlash from the BJP, with leaders from the party condemning his comments.

In a post on X, Nadda shared two video clips of Kejriwal's remarks, one old and another made on Thursday after an AAP delegation visited the Election Commission, to target him.

"In fear of his defeat after looting Delhi for the past 10 years with his massive corruption and turning into a disaster for the city, Arvind Kejriwal in desperation has resorted to baseless comments against brothers and sisters of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar," the BJP leader alleged.

"People of Delhi will surely reply to him by throwing him out of power," he added.

Nadda posted a video clip of the comment.

He also posted an old video of Kejriwal, then chief minister, that showed him purportedly saying that someone from Bihar buys a Rs 500 train ticket to come to the national capital and receives treatment worth Rs 5 lakh for free in a government hospital

In a press conference, Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva dismissed Kejriwal's accusations, stressing that people from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar are vital to Delhi's economy and contribute significantly to the city's growth.

BJP MP Manoj Tiwari, also present at the press conference, called Kejriwal's statement a direct insult to the people of Purvanchal, a region encompassing eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

Tiwari said, "Kejriwal's remarks are a clear example of disrespect towards the hard-working people of UP and Bihar. He called them 'fake' voters. It is shameful to label such an important section of Delhi's electorate in this manner."

Kejriwal labelled people from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar as fake even though they constitute 42 per cent of voters in Delhi, and the answer to his statement will come on February 5, Tiwari claimed.

The war of words over alleged voter manipulation has intensified the already heated political atmosphere in the capital.

With the Delhi elections scheduled for February 5 and results on February 8, the controversy over voter lists is expected to remain a key issue in the weeks ahead.