Arvind Kejriwal, the national convenor of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and former Chief Minister of Delhi, has accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of tampering with Delhi’s voter lists ahead of the state assembly elections.
Speaking at a press conference, Kejriwal alleged that the BJP has been running a coordinated effort called ‘Operation Lotus’ since December 15. According to him, this campaign involves selectively adding or removing voters from key constituencies to influence the election results.
Arvind Kejriwal Accuses BJP of Implementing Operation Lotus
Arvind Kejriwal, the leader of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and former Chief Minister of Delhi, has made serious allegations against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He accused the BJP of tampering with voter lists in Delhi as part of a scheme he called “Operation Lotus.” Kejriwal claimed that this operation has been ongoing since December 15 and is aimed at unfairly influencing the upcoming state assembly elections.
During a press conference on Sunday, December 29, Kejriwal said, “The BJP has already accepted that they will lose in Delhi. They don’t have a strong leader for the Chief Minister’s position, no clear plan for the city, and no trustworthy candidates. That’s why they are using dishonest methods like manipulating the voter lists to try and win the elections at any cost.”
Explaining the situation further, Arvind Kejriwal shared an example from his own New Delhi Assembly constituency. He said that in just 15 days, applications were filed to remove 5,000 voters from the list and add 7,500 new voters. According to him, this kind of manipulation is affecting 12% of the votes.
Kejriwal emphasized that such actions are an attempt to undermine fair elections and urged voters to stay alert to these tactics.
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Kejriwal Accuses BJP of Voter Deletion
Arvind Kejriwal has accused the BJP of attempting to remove 11,800 voters from the electoral rolls in Shahdara. However, this action was halted following the intervention of the Election Commission of India (ECI).
Kejriwal, the former Chief Minister of Delhi, pointed out that during the Election Commission’s summary revision on October 29, approximately 1 lakh new voters were registered in the New Delhi constituency. He further alleged that the BJP’s claim of irregularities in 12% of these new entries raises doubts about the ECI’s credibility.
AAP Chief Warns Election Officials Against Voter Fraud
The AAP chief has urged Election Registration Officers (EROs) to carefully review any voter deletions exceeding 2% and additions surpassing 4%, emphasizing strict adherence to legal guidelines. He cautioned officials against yielding to political pressure, stating, “Your signatures on these files will remain for years. Any wrongdoing will lead to accountability.”
This statement follows allegations by Delhi Chief Minister Atishi, who accused BJP leaders of attempting to bribe voters in the New Delhi constituency. She specifically named BJP leader Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma, claiming he distributed money at his official residence to sway voters.
The Delhi Assembly elections are expected to take place before February 2024.
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FAQs
Q.1. What is Operation Lotus according to Arvind Kejriwal?
Ans. Operation Lotus is a term used by Kejriwal to describe BJP’s alleged campaign to manipulate voter lists in Delhi to sway the upcoming assembly elections.
Q.2. What accusations did Arvind Kejriwal make against the BJP?
Ans. Kejriwal accused the BJP of tampering with voter lists by selectively adding and removing voters in key constituencies to influence election results unfairly.
Q.3. How many voter manipulations were claimed in Kejriwal’s constituency?
Ans. Kejriwal alleged that in his New Delhi constituency, applications were made to remove 5,000 voters and add 7,500 new voters within 15 days.
Q.4. How did the Election Commission respond to the voter list issue?
Ans. Kejriwal claimed that the Election Commission intervened to stop the removal of 11,800 voters from the electoral rolls in Shahdara after irregularities were flagged.
Q.5. Why did Kejriwal accuse the BJP of these actions?
Ans. Kejriwal said the BJP is resorting to dishonest tactics because they lack strong leadership, credible candidates, and a clear vision for the Delhi elections.
