New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal wrote to the Election Commission, alleging that the BJP was adding new voters in the New Delhi constituency from across the country, using the party MPs’ and ministers’ addresses. He argued that the alleged additions are to manipulate the electoral roll ahead of the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections.
In a letter he wrote to the Election Commission on Saturday, January 11, Kejriwal accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders of engaging in “backdoor tactics” to tamper with the voter list.
He claimed that the alleged manipulation could alter the constituency’s voter composition significantly, calling the practice “even worse than the booth-capturing practices of the past.”
In his letter, Kejriwal wrote, “The BJP is transferring votes from across the country to the New Delhi Assembly using addresses of its own Members of Parliament (MPs) and Ministers.”
He alleged that 33 votes were reportedly transferred to BJP’s New Delhi candidate Parvesh Verma’s official residence.
“Are we expected to believe that overnight 33 people from across India have shifted their residence to that of Mr Verma? If so, then he must be disqualified from contesting elections for indulging in corrupt practices,” Kejriwal said.
The former Delhi chief minister called for criminal FIRs against those involved in the alleged manipulation and provided a list of BJP leaders and their official addresses.
“It is inconceivable how such a high number of voters could have suddenly applied to be transferred to these properties without planning by the highest levels of BJP leadership,” he said.
The BJP is yet to respond to the allegations.
Addressing a press conference, AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh claimed that dozens of voter registration applications had been filed from single small shops and basements.
“This is the reality of the biggest political party in India. This is how Prime Minister Modi’s party plans to win the elections,” Singh said, listing the names of BJP leaders, including union ministers, for their alleged involvement in the issue.
“The BJP and its leaders are trying to deceive the Election Commission. This is BJP’s election scam, being carried out by their Union ministers and MPs, and they are undermining the integrity of the Election Commission,” Singh added.
Delhi heads to the poll on February 5 and results will be declared on February 8.
