Delhi Elections 2025 Highlights: 'His story a lie,' AAP says Parvesh Verma orchestrated attack on Kejriwal

BJP) is gearing up for an intense campaign following Republic Day, with a series of high-profile rallies in the lead-up to the Delhi Assembly elections, party leaders announced on Monday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will headline the campaign trail. According to party sources, Modi is expected to address around three rallies across the city, while Adityanath will hold nearly 15 public meetings in various constituencies.

BJP National President JP Nadda will also play a significant role in the campaign, delivering speeches at 10–12 rallies.

"Amit Shah will address four rallies and participate in four roadshows. Nadda is likely to address multiple meetings in different parts of the city," said a Delhi BJP leader involved in the election preparations.

The elections for the 70-member Delhi Assembly are scheduled for February 5, with results to be announced on February 8

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Parvesh Verma, contesting from the New Delhi Assembly seat, engaged with advocates residing in the constituency on Monday. During the interaction, Verma launched a scathing attack on Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal, accusing him of neglecting "real issues" affecting Delhi.

In a statement released by Verma’s office, the BJP candidate urged advocates to rally behind the party in the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections.

“He emphasized that former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's policies and deceitful politics have ruined Delhi,” the statement said, alleging that Kejriwal’s tenure was marked by broken promises and a lack of tangible progress.

Verma further accused the AAP leader of misleading the public with false assurances, claiming that Kejriwal’s governance has failed to address the core concerns of Delhi’s citizens.

The Delhi high court on Monday issued a notice to Delhi Police, requesting a response to a plea filed by transgender candidate Rajan Singh, who is contesting the Delhi State Assembly elections from Kalkaji. Singh, citing threats to his life due to his political candidacy, has sought personal security during the election process.

Justice Vikas Mahajan directed the Delhi Police to respond to Singh's plea, with the next hearing scheduled for January 27.

The petition was filed through Singh's advocate, Subhash Chandra Budhiraja.

AAP launched a sharp critique of the BJP ahead of the Delhi elections by unveiling a blank book titled "Bhajpa Ki Uplabdhiyan" on Monday, mocking the party for allegedly failing to fulfill its electoral promises. During a press conference, senior AAP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh accused the BJP of making grand promises to secure the 2014 elections and after assuming power, but failing to follow through on them.

The Delhi high court rejected an urgent hearing request on Monday concerning a petition challenging AAP's electoral commitment to provide women with a monthly allowance of Rs 2,100 under the Mukhya Mantri Mahila Samman Yojana scheme. Justice Jyoti Singh declined the appeal for expedited consideration of the petition, scheduled for January 30, stating insufficient grounds for the request.

"The matter was passed over three times on the last date but the petitioner was unrepresented. No ground for hearing is made out. Dismissed," stated the court.

The counsel representing the petitioner requested immediate consideration, citing AAP's continued promotion of the scheme to influence voters.
The Delhi elections are scheduled for February 5, with vote counting to take place on February 8.

Previously, on January 10, the court postponed the hearing until month-end after the petitioner's absence, despite the case being called three times.

Senior Delhi Congress leader and New Delhi constituency candidate Sandeep Dikshit has filed civil and criminal defamation lawsuits against AAP leaders, including chief minister Atishi and MP Sanjay Singh.

The legal actions follow allegations made by the AAP leaders during a press conference in New Delhi on December 26, 2024. They accused Dikshit of accepting "crores of rupees" from the BJP and conspiring with the party to undermine AAP's electoral prospects.

Dikshit has categorically denied the accusations, calling them baseless and defamatory. He is seeking Rs 10 crore in damages, citing significant harm to his reputation.

In preparation for the February 5 Delhi assembly elections, the Chief Electoral Officer of Delhi has issued directives to all political parties regarding advertisement restrictions. The directive prohibits parties, candidates, and organisations from publishing advertisements in print media during polling day and the day prior, unless pre-certified by the MCMC Committee.

The letter states: "No political party or candidate or any other organisation or person shall publish any advertisement in the print media on poll day and one day before poll day unless the contents of political advertisements are got pre-certified by them from the MCMC Committee at the state/district level."

The Delhi Assembly election encompasses 70 constituencies, with voting scheduled for February 5 and results to be announced on February 8.

The Election Commission of India has confirmed 719 candidates will participate in the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections. Initially, 981 candidates submitted nominations for the 70 assembly seats.

The ECI records show that out of 1,040 accepted nominations for the Delhi Assembly elections, 477 were subsequently rejected during the scrutiny process.

AAP leader and Delhi minister Saurabh Bhardwaj criticised BJP MP Parvesh Verma's asset growth in a press conference on Monday. Bhardwaj alleged a significant lack of transparency in Verma’s financial disclosures. He pointed out that while Verma’s immovable assets grew from Rs 12 crore in 2019 to Rs 19 crore, his movable assets saw an extraordinary surge, increasing by 2,915% from Rs 3.2 crore to Rs 96.5 crore in just five years.

Bhardwaj also highlighted Verma's massive income jump, from Rs 17 lakh annually in 2017-18 to Rs 19.7 crore this year, marking an 11,488% rise. He sarcastically remarked that Verma could lecture abroad on rapid wealth accumulation, quipping that if Donald Trump knew, he might have invited him to his inauguration.

Commenting on Yogi Adityanath's rallies, Bhardwaj joked that if Adityanath shared his wealth-growth secrets, even the AAP would attend. The Delhi Assembly election is set for February 5.

On Monday, Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal criticised the AAP-led government in Delhi regarding the city's infrastructure and essential services. She expressed her concerns by stating, 'Delhi ko Delhi rehne do, zaada Africa ka Sudan banane ki jarurat nahi hai'.

In her stern criticism, Maliwal highlighted that the capital city is experiencing its worst conditions ever. She pointed out the deteriorating state of roads, overflowing sewerage systems, widespread rubbish accumulation, and the supply of contaminated water to households.

In her interview with ANI, she stated, "... Dehli has never been in a worse condition. Roads are broken, sewers are overflowing, there are heaps of garbage everywhere, and people are getting contaminated water in their homes... Colonies in Dwarka and slums in Bhalswa are getting dirty tap water... The water is so contaminated that one may fall sick even if they touch the water... Water is free but people have to spend money every day to buy clean water from outside while the 'Sheesh Mahal' has a water supply system worth crores but when it comes to people, you supply contaminated and poisonous water to them. I say to them 'Delhi ko Delhi rehne do, zaada Africa ka Sudan banane ki jarurat nahi hai'."

During a press conference, Delhi minister and AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj says, “I was checking the affidavit of (BJP candidate from New Delhi constituency) Parvesh Verma. One is from when he contested the election in 2019 and one is from the 2025 election. In the year 2017-18, his annual income was Rs 17 lakh, however, that increased to Rs 19 crore 70 lakh in the year 2023-24. No business school can teach to increase the income this much in just five years. We should also know about it. We should also know about the business he is doing. BJP's poster boy Parvesh Verma should do a press conference and tell us.”

BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla criticised the Aam Aadmi Party for contradicting its earlier stance on fielding candidates with criminal backgrounds. According to him, AAP, which previously advocated against having criminals in the assembly to ensure effective legislation, now leads with approximately 60% of candidates having criminal records, with Congress following behind.

"Aam Aadmi Party used to say that they do not want criminals in their assembly because criminals will not be able to pass important and strict laws... But when the list (of candidates) was released, it was found that Aam Aadmi Party has the highest number of people with criminal records nearly 60%, followed by Congress... This means that Aam Aadmi Party has taken a U-turn once again...," he said.

AAP announced its roster of 40 prominent campaigners on Sunday, comprising party officials including Chief Minister Atishi, national convenor Arvind Kejriwal, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, former Delhi mayor Shelly Oberoi, and AAP's Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha.

The list also includes additional party leaders such as Sandeep Pathak, Pankaj Gupta, Sateynder Jail, Harbhajan Singh, Saurabh Bhardwaj Imran Hussain, and Mukesh Ahlawat.

The BJP has announced its fourth list containing nine candidates for the upcoming elections, bringing their total declarations to 68 out of 70 constituencies, reserving two seats for alliance partners.

The Congress party has also nominated candidates for 68 out of the 70 assembly constituencies in Delhi.

Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal says, "... Delhi has never been in a worse condition. Roads are broken, sewers are overflowing, there are heaps of garbage everywhere, and people are getting contaminated water in their homes... Colonies in Dwarka and slums in Bhalswa are getting dirty tap water... The water is so contaminated that one may fall sick even if they touch the water... Water is free but people have to spend money every day to buy clean water from outside while the 'Sheesh Mahal' has a water supply system worth crores... I invite Arvind Kejriwal to come to the slums with me instead of only going to the places where he has supporters..."

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Monday claimed that no other political party in India has faced the level of "conspiracies" and "attacks" his party has, adding that AAP remains "unbreakable." Kejriwal shared a link to a film titled UNBREAKABLE, which he said documents their struggles over the past two years. He thanked Rathee for having the courage to release the documentary despite efforts by the system to suppress it. "Difficult times reveal who we truly are. AAP is unbreakable," Kejriwal asserted.

Meanwhile, AAP accused BJP of orchestrating an attack on Kejriwal's convoy during the election campaign on Saturday. AAP leader Atishi claimed that three individuals, including Rohit Tyagi, a known criminal with links to BJP candidate Parvesh Verma, were involved. Verma, however, denied the allegations, stating that the individuals were accidentally struck by Kejriwal's vehicle while attempting to speak with him.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar on Monday accused BJP leader Parvesh Verma of orchestrating an attack on Arvind Kejriwal, the party’s national convener. Kakkar claimed that Verma had orchestrated the attack using notorious criminals involved in serious cases such as murder and robbery. "After seeing the video, it’s clear that Parvesh Verma’s story is a lie," Kakkar said, accusing Verma of trying to protect criminals. She also suggested that Verma, frustrated by Kejriwal’s popularity despite BJP’s efforts, was behind the attack.

In response, Verma denied the allegations, claiming Kejriwal’s vehicle had run over one of their party workers. He dismissed the accusation of BJP "goons" attacking Kejriwal, saying that people were simply showing black flags and demanding answers from the Delhi Chief Minister. Verma also called on the Election Commission and police to take action, questioning their inaction.

Kejriwal and Verma are contesting against each other in the New Delhi constituency.

Ahead of the Delhi Assembly elections, Congress leader Sachin Pilot stated that his party has emerged as a stronger alternative to the ruling parties in Delhi and at the Centre, offering a better blueprint for governance. Pilot emphasised that while the INDIA alliance remains united in challenging the NDA, regional dynamics allow local units and state-level groups to make their own decisions.

“Congress has proven to be a better alternative than the current ruling parties in Delhi and at the Centre... We have presented a better blueprint for governance," Pilot said, adding that the INDIA alliance remains strong but allows for local flexibility.

The Congress has announced 68 candidates for Delhi’s 70 assembly seats, while AAP has declared its candidates for all 70. The BJP has declared 68 candidates, leaving two seats for its allies. Voting will take place on February 5, with results announced on February 8. AAP, BJP, and Congress are all in the fray for the three-way contest.

Congress leader Sachin Pilot says, "...Congress has emerged as a better alternative than the parties ruling at the Centre and in the state in Delhi...It has presented a better blueprint in Delhi...INDIA alliance was and is always strong enough to fight against the NDA, but looking at the situations in different states and local units, groups take their own decisions..."

Senior AAP leader and MP Sanjay Singh accused the BJP of pressuring the Delhi Police to prevent his party from holding a press conference and screening a documentary on Arvind Kejriwal. However, a senior Delhi Police officer clarified that no permission had been obtained for the event, which, under election law, must be approved by the district magistrate.

AAP had booked the Godavari auditorium for the screening, and Singh staged a sit-in outside the venue, demanding to see the order that prohibited the event. He claimed the authorities could not provide such a document. Singh vowed to screen the documentary regardless, questioning why the BJP was so fearful of its contents. He asserted that the documentary focused on how false cases led to the wrongful imprisonment of Kejriwal and other AAP leaders, and did not promote the party or seek votes.

The BJP responded, accusing AAP of making baseless claims as the party faced the prospect of electoral defeat.

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath will hold 14 rallies and public programmes in Delhi starting on January 23, as part of the party’s campaign for the upcoming Delhi assembly elections.

According to a senior BJP source quoted by ANI, Adityanath's presence is expected to influence voters from Uttar Pradesh, particularly in areas such as Ghonda, Shahdra, Dwarka, Bijwasan, Palam, Rajinder Nagar, and Patel Nagar, which have significant populations with UP roots.

Meanwhile, Union minister Arjun Ram Meghwal criticised Arvind Kejriwal, accusing him of hypocrisy. Meghwal pointed out that Kejriwal had previously claimed he would not live in a government house or use security but now enjoys both, labelling him deceitful.

BJP's Karol Bagh candidate Dushyant Gautam also took a swipe at Delhi's governance, claiming the city's drinking water is unclean and that the election has become a fight for the people of Karol Bagh.

Delhi will vote on February 5, with results due on February 8.

Once a challenge to the dominance of Congress and BJP in Delhi’s electoral politics, several national and state parties, which had once won seats, have gradually faded into irrelevance. Even unrecognised registered parties, which regularly feature in Lok Sabha, state assembly, and municipal elections, have failed to make an impact beyond mere statistics in the Election Commission’s reports.

For years, Delhi's electoral landscape has been defined by two major parties. The rise of AAP in 2013 shifted this dynamic, leading to Congress's decline as its core voters switched allegiance to Arvind Kejriwal’s party. Smaller national and state parties also saw their support base shift to AAP.

In recent years, the majority of votes have gone to BJP or AAP, with only small fractions going to other contenders, including independents. Despite efforts by smaller parties like the Bahujan Samaj Party to gain ground, their vote share has dwindled in the face of AAP’s growing influence.

The Aam Aadmi Party has announced its roster of star campaigners for the forthcoming Delhi Assembly elections, with party chief Arvind Kejriwal, his spouse Sunita Kejriwal, Delhi CM Atishi and Punjab CM Bhagwant Singh Mann leading the lineup, according to party officials on Sunday. The 40-person list includes Delhi and Punjab MPs such as Sanjay Singh, Raghav Chadha and Harbhajan Singh, alongside former Delhi deputy CM Manish Sisodia.

Ram Niwas Goel, the outgoing Delhi Assembly speaker, along with MLAs Dilip Pandey, Gulab Singh and Rituraj Jha are also named as star campaigners, despite not receiving tickets for the upcoming elections.

The current AAP government's ministers, including Gopal Rai, Saurabh Bharadwaj, Raghuvinder Shokeen, Imran Hussain and Mukesh Ahlawat, have been designated as star campaigners for the electoral contest.

Elections for the 70-seat Delhi Assembly are set for February 5, with results to be announced on February 8.

A total of 719 candidates remain in contention for the Delhi Assembly elections, following the scrutiny of 1,522 nomination sets, including multiple entries, the Election Commission confirmed on Sunday. Polling is scheduled for February 5.

The final list of candidates across all 70 constituencies will be published on Monday, which marks the deadline for withdrawal of nominations by eligible candidates.

AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal made a brief stop during his campaign on Sunday to enjoy vegetable momos at a roadside stall. The AAP shared a video on X, showing Kejriwal relishing steamed momos while being cheered on by supporters.

"The bond between momos and Delhiites runs deep. While campaigning in New Delhi, a momo seller offered Kejriwal some momos," the party captioned the post.

Kejriwal, who has represented the New Delhi constituency since 2013, is facing stiff competition from BJP's Parvesh Verma and Congress' Sandeep Dikshit. Both opponents have been relentless in their attacks on the former chief minister as they vie for Delhi's top position.

Ahead of Delhi Assembly polls, several Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders and members joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in the presence of state president Virendraa Sachdeva on Sunday.

Kapil Naagar, who had contested elections twice from Kamla Nagar ward of Model Town Legislative Assembly, joined the BJP. Along with him, more than 100 workers of Aam Aadmi Party also joined the BJP.

Meanwhile, several AAP workers joined the BJP in the presence of BJP's Ramesh Bidhuri, who is a BJP candidate from the Kalkaji assembly for the Delhi assembly polls.

Speaking at the occasion, Bidhuri said, "I would like to thank all of you for being a part of PM Modi ji's family. There is nothing more fortunate than this for us. Modi ji says only one thing. Everyone's support, everyone's development, everyone's faith, everyone's effort. You will all have to make an effort. In 2047, India will be recognized as a developed nation."

Union Minister of State for Railways, Ravneet Singh Bittu, on Sunday criticized AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal for failing to fulfill his promise of providing monthly financial assistance to women in Punjab and Delhi.

Bittu, who is an MP from Punjab, accused Kejriwal of double standards and misleading voters with unfulfilled promises.

“I am deeply disappointed to see Kejriwal repeating the same false promises in Delhi that he made in Punjab,” Bittu told reporters in Delhi.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Sunday accused the Delhi Police of blocking their attempt to screen a documentary about the arrest of party leaders, including Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia. The police have not responded to the allegation as of Sunday. However, on Saturday, the police stated that the party had not sought permission for the screening of the documentary, titled *Unbreakable*, and added that it could not be allowed due to the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct in the city.

AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh told reporters that the police also denied permission for a press conference where the documentary was to be shown.

"I want to ask the Election Commission under which rule the permission was denied. There was no public meeting, election campaigning, or appeal for votes involved. I came alone for the press conference and the screening of the documentary," Singh said outside the Andhra Association auditorium in Central Delhi.

After final scrutiny, nominations of 719 candidates have been accepted for Delhi Assembly Polls. A total of 1522 nomination forms were received. The last date for withdrawal of nomination is January 20: Election Commission

Delhi is in the midst of an intense election season and political workers are flaunting their allegiances, sporting creatively designed merchandise with quirky catchphrases and one-liners to attract voters's imagination. The Aam Aadmi Party, the BJP, the Congress and other smaller players, all are trying to outdo each other as merchandise messaging gets sharper, wittier and personal in appeal.

There are winter-friendly hoodies and colorful stoles, t-shirts and scarfs, funky sunglasses and key chains, custom-made car flags and cutouts, pens and posters, and even mousepads. Anything that can be leveraged is being leveraged.

"These unique items, adorned with party logos and slogans, are not just tools of promotion but also a way to engage supporters in a more personal and vibrant manner," said a leader.

The Aam Aadmi Party's hoodies and stoles come in their signature blue and yellow.

"These feature the face of party's national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on the front and the party logo on the back, instantly making them stand out," said Vikram, a key supplier of political merchandise, based in Sadar Bazar.

The AAP has also ordered customised accessories like keychains, wristbands, badges, and car flags.

AAP candidate Jitender Singh Shunty says he wants to make Shahdara constituency a better place for women residents as he outlines his plans for introducing 'pink ambulances', hostels for working women and creches for their children if elected from the seat in the Delhi assembly polls. A formal Quick Response Team (QRT) for women's safety and the establishment of a disaster management team to address emergencies in the narrow lanes of the locality are among his other key proposals.
Known for his work during the COVID-19 pandemic, which earned him the title of "Ambulance Man," Shunty told PTI that his priorities include serving the people of Shahdara and addressing the needs of women.

"If elected, I will honour my commitment to social welfare," Shunty said, adding his initiatives would focus on supporting working women, single mothers, and female professionals who have come from outside to work in Delhi.

"There are many female residents in this area who need safe and affordable accommodation, as many are coming from outside," he said, adding, "creches for their children are also essential. Single mothers, especially, face challenges as they have to go to work and leave their young children alone."

In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal highlighted the housing issues faced by sanitation workers employed with the New Delhi Municipal Corporation and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi. Kejriwal emphasized that these workers are essential to the city’s cleanliness system and deserve better support after retirement.

While they are provided government accommodations during their service, retirement forces them to vacate these homes, leaving them in a vulnerable position. Kejriwal pointed out that many of these workers cannot afford to buy their own homes or pay high rents in Delhi, which often leads to insecure living conditions for them and their families.

During a press conference, Kejriwal said, "The land in Delhi comes under the central government. If the central government provides land at highly subsidised rates, then the Delhi government will get houses constructed on them and government employees will pay in easy instalments and become house owners. I have requested that we begin this scheme from the sanitation workers of NDMC and Nagar Nigam, under which the central government will provide land and the Delhi government will construct the house. The sanitation workers will get the instalments deducted from their salaries in the few last years before retiring.

"I hope the centre and the PM agree on this because this is for the poor people... Later on, this scheme can be implemented for the other government workers too," he added.

Delhi chief minister Atishi accused BJP of sending hardened goons to attack AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal during campaigning in New Delhi Assembly constituency yesterday.

"Arvind Kejriwal ji's car was attacked in New Delhi constituency. BJP goons carried out the attack. Such a large stone was thrown at his car that if it had hit someone, it could have been fatal. Who were these people who carried out this attack?" Atishi said in a press conference .



"If you look at the video of the assault, you will see a person named Shanky (showing an image Atishi said). He is associated with the BJP and often puts up posters of Parvesh Verma in his area. Who is this Rahul alias Shanky? He has a hardcore criminal background. There are cases of attempted robbery against him... It is very clear that hardened criminals and goons were sent to attack Arvind Kejriwal," she added

Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor has slammed Aam Aadmi Party National Convener Arvind Kejriwal for trying to create "confusion" through a film about his arrest, emphasizing that innocence cannot be proven through private screenings but must be established in a court of law.

In a press statement on Saturday, Kapoor accused the former Delhi Chief Minister of resorting to desperate measures amid a potential electoral defeat.

"Arvind Kejriwal has lost his political balance and has been making absurd statements daily. Now, he has tried to create new confusion by producing a short film about his arrest and arranging for its screening," Kapoor said.

Kejriwal recently claimed that the private screening of his film would expose the alleged behind his arrest, adding that the BJP had the police stop the event. Kapoor dismissed this assertion as "laughable," questioning its credibility.

The BJP spokesperson further pointed out that Kejriwal's actions violated legal restrictions. "Kejriwal should remember that prior to any private screening, he requires the court's permission, as the court has prohibited him from making public statements or discussions regarding his case," Kapoor noted.

Kapoor stressed that such tactics by the Delhi Chief Minister would not change the legal process. "Merely showing his self-pro

Raising questions over disclosures made by AAP leaders Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia in their election affidavits, BJP on Saturday asked the former Delhi chief minister to explain his income in the Covid year.

BJP also sought areply from Sisodia, the former deputy chief minister, over an education loan worth Rs 1.5 crore taken from three private individuals.
AAP said BJP must reveal the sources behind the “massive” surge in wealth of its New Delhi candidate Parvesh Verma.

Addressing a press conference, Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said it was fine for anyone to take an education loan for their children. “But Sisodia should tell us why he did not take the loan from any bank or financial institution and who were the individuals who gave him the money,” Sachdeva said. He added that BJP will approach agencies for probing the loans.

Congress said Arvind Kejriwal unilaterally announced that AAP will contest the Delhi polls alone when talks for a tie-up were at an advanced stage, scuppering a possible partnership in the ongoing elections.

AICC treasurer and senior Delhi leader Ajay Maken dismissed the decision of certain INDIA bloc parties to back AAP over Congress, saying BJP cannot be countered by weakening the grand old party. To explain, Maken argued that Congress used to win all the Delhi seats in Lok Sabha when it ruled the city state, but BJP started winning the LS seats after AAP came to power in the state in 2013. “AAP has failed to stop BJP. Congress successfully neutralised BJP when Sheila Dikshit was chief minister of Delhi,” he said.

“The people of Delhi have lost and BJP has gained because of AAP. Kejriwal’s growth helps BJP. To counter BJP, Congress has to be strong at the national level. So, in the future, Congress will have to be strong. All (INDIA parties) should understand that you cannot fight the BJP by weakening Congress,” he said.
Maken claimed Congress wanted a tie-up with AAP in Haryana and Delhi, but AAP unilaterally announced that it will go alone in the capital state. He said the announcement was made after Kejriwal came out of the prison.

As AAP alleged that former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s convoy was attacked during his door-to-door campaign in the New Delhi Assembly constituency ahead of the upcoming elections, BJP national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari on Saturday called Kejriwal an 'arrogant dictator' who attempted to crush the youth of Delhi.

Speaking with IANS, Bhandari said, "Arvind Kejriwal is an arrogant dictator. The real video, shared by Parvesh Verma on his X handle, clearly shows that Kejriwal is oppressing the youth of Delhi. The car was moving ahead, and the youth of Delhi were questioning Kejriwal. Instead of addressing their concerns, this arrogant dictator drove over them. It is now clear to the people of Delhi that Kejriwal is losing this election, and in his panic over that defeat, he is running his car over the youth of Delhi." (IANS)

AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal announced on Saturday that his party would take decisive steps to extend the benefits of free electricity and water to tenants, if re-elected to power in Delhi. Addressing a press conference here, Kejriwal highlighted concerns raised by tenants across Delhi. "Wherever I go, I meet people living on rent, who say that they benefit from good schools and hospitals but are deprived of the free electricity and water schemes," he said.

"We will ensure that after the elections, tenants, many of whom hail from the Purvanchal region, will also enjoy the benefits of free electricity and water," the former Delhi chief minister added. (PTI)

Congress leader Ajay Maken said on Saturday that his party should have no alliance with the AAP in Delhi, but left the option open, saying this is his personal view.

Asked whether the Congress will lend support to the Arvind Kejriwal-led party, if need be, after the upcoming Delhi Assembly polls, Maken said, "It is my personal view that there should be no alliance with AAP. I also feel that there should not have been any support (from the Congress) to the AAP in 2013 and neither any alliance for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. But this is my personal view," the All India Congress Committee (AICC) treasurer said, without speaking any further. (PTI)

Slamming 'freebies' announced by parties in run up to Delhi assembly polls, senior Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit said "putting money into people's pockets is not exactly welfare" as real issues are pollution, development, damaged roads and shortage of buses in the national capital.

for focusing on financial incentives rather than addressing the pressing issues of Delhi.

Speaking to ANI, the Congress candidate from New Delhi seat against AAP's Arvind Kejriwal, emphasized the importance of targeted welfare that meets the actual needs of the people.

"Putting money into people's pockets is not exactly welfare, welfare is helping people as per their needs... The people of Delhi already know that if they vote for AAP, they will get 2100, if they vote for Congress they will get 2500, if they vote for BJP they will get 2500," Dikshit said, adding that the actual issues are development, pollution in Delhi, damaged roads, shortage of buses ... Where ever I go in NDMC areas, people are facing water shortage," he said on Friday. (ANI)

Hitting back at BJP's jibe at AAP, Aam Aadmi Party leader Manish Sisodia on Friday said the ruling party is "AAPda" for the BJP as he expressed confidence of Aam Aadmi Party winning Delhi assembly polls.

With BJP and other parties making populous promises to people, Sisodia told ANI it is good that other parties are now accepting the politics of Kejriwal and were giving what they called "revdies"

Hitting out at BJP over "revdi" culture allegations against AAP, the former Deputy Chief Minister said people should get the benefit of the taxes paid by them.

"It is the tax money of people, rather than it being spent on close friends of those who are in power, people should get facilities through it (tax money). It is a good thing that other parties are now accepting the politics of Kejriwal, the man whom they used to make fun of...now they have realised they can't make fun of politics that is in the interest of people. But the thing that matters here is 'trust'...earlier they used to make fun of Kejriwal saying that he is distributing 'Revdi' now they are saying they will give 'Revdi' too but the thing is who will distribute 'trust'...who do people trust?...people trust Kejriwal," he said.

Sisodia, a former Delhi deputy CM who is contesting from Jangpura, said AAP will win Delhi polls and people will give support "chappar phaad ke".

"A government will be formed with comfortable majority...when people give you the feel that they will give a govt of comfortable majority, then they give you seats 'Chappar Phaad ke'. So we will win seats 'Chappar Phaad ke', how much we will win, we will get to know it once we are a little bit more closer towards the election," Sisodia told ANI.