BJP misusing police to derail AAP campaign

New Delhi: AAP national convenor and former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal alleged Wednesday the BJP is using the city police to disrupt his party’s

poll campaign and intimidate voters ahead of the February 5 assembly elec-tions.

“All the Delhi Police are with the BJP. No one is there for the security and safety of the people. One of the SHOs told me they get direct instructions from the Ministry of Home Affairs to disrupt our rallies,” Kejriwal told a press confer-ence, also addressed by Chief Minister Atishi and senior party leader Saurabh Bharadwaj.

The people of Delhi will have to stand together and give the BJP a strong re-ply, Kejriwal said. “I am afraid voters might be stopped from casting their votes this time.” Kejriwal claimed the BJP faces a “historic defeat” in Delhi and that is why its workers are resorting to hooliganism with the support of police. “Po-lice are facilitating the BJP’s campaign and supporting their workers who are disrupting AAP’s poll efforts,” he said.

Atishi and Bharadwaj echoed similar concerns, with the chief minister accus-ing BJP workers of threatening AAP volunteers in Kalkaji, where she is seek-ing a reelection from.

“Ramesh Bidhuri (Atishi’s BJP rival on the Kalkaji seat) is threatening our workers to join the BJP. We will file a complaint with the Election Commission of India (ECI),” she said. She further alleged BJP workers are attempting to obstruct the AAP’s door-to-door campaigns in the constituency. The Delhi as-sembly elections are scheduled for February 5, with the results to be an-nounced on February 8. The AAP is aiming for a third consecutive term after securing a sweeping victory in 2020, winning 62 of 70 seats.