NEW DELHI: With less than 10 days left for the Assembly polls in Delhi, the political atmosphere is getting into the face-off mode. The two main rivals -- the BJP and the Aam Aadmi Party -- are engaged in mud-slinging at each other.
BJP Chief Ministerial candidate Kiran Bedi on Tuesday sent a legal notice to AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal for allegedly “misusing” her photograph in the party’s poster campaign without her consent.
The AAP had also released its poster in which it had “projected” BJP senior leader Jagdish Mukhi as the BJP Chief Ministerial candidate. Over the issue, Mukhi had also sent legal notice to Kejriwal for allegedly “misusing” his photo for the campaign without his permission. “It irked me. He (Kejriwal) is using my name without my permission. On the poster, it says ‘honest’ under his name and ‘opportunist’ under mine. This is not acceptable,” said Bedi.
Taking “serious note” of Kejriwal’s repeated remarks at his rallies asking voters to accept bribe from the Congress and the BJP, but to vote for his party, the Election Commission on Tuesday directed him to desist from making such comments in the future and warned him of stern action in case of any violation.
“The Commission has taken serious note of the fact that you have been indulging in violation of the Model Code of Conduct repeatedly despite the repeated notices issued to you... In view of the above statement and undertaking and aforesaid violations of the Model Code of Conduct by you, the Commission hereby directs you to desist from making these utterances in all forms of election campaign,” the EC said in its order.
Invoking US President Barack Obama’s visit on the Republic Day, Bedi told the crowd, “People can say whatever they want. I am proud that Modi-ji invited Obama-ji and the latter came to India. Modi-ji is following the “Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas” internationally too.”
For the past few days, after Bedi’s candidature was announced, the AAP has been replacing Mukhi’s face with Bedi’s on the posters on the back of autorickshaws.
The posters carry a photograph of Kejriwal, which has “imandar” (honest) printed below it and that of Bedi with the tag “avsarvadi” (opportunist).
Delhi BJP chief Satish Upadhyay said the former Delhi CM had downgraded the standards of politics by his constant habit of spreading lies. “
Meanwhile, the BJP and the Congress demanded that Kejriwal’s nomination should be rejected for poll code violation. While the BJP slammed Kejriwal for “defaming” the party.
AAP’s Governance Dialogue released
New Delhi: Finally, ending the mystery of not mentioning the Lokpal Bill in this election campaign, the AAP released its Governance Dialogue with the Lokpal Bill and the Swaraj Bill finding their way into it. “The Lokpal is closest to us. Therefore we wanted it to be released on the heels of the elections,” AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal said.