“This is the kidnapping of democracy, not just a candidate,” Manish Sisodia alleges.
New Delhi:
Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) alleges today that one of its candidates in Gujarat was “kidnapped”, dragged to the election office and at gunpoint forced to withdraw his nomination. his nomination for the election next month. The party blamed the ruling BJP, which has yet to respond to the allegation, and protested outside the Election Commission office in Delhi.
AAP leaders announced, in a series of tweets, that Kanchan party candidate Surat (East) was “kidnapped” by the BJP yesterday.
Immediately after the kidnapping, tweets followed videos of the candidate, apparently at the election office, escorted by police.
AAP senior leader Manish Sisodia said Mr Jariwala was taken to the Gujarat election office surrounded by 500 police.
#CLOCK | Gujarat: AAP candidate from Surat (East) from Gujarat, Kanchan Jariwala, withdraws his nomination after his alleged kidnapping last night pic.twitter.com/E1vqqkveNi
– ANI (@ANI) November 16, 2022
“There was pressure on him to withdraw his nomination. He was forced to sit in the election office and pressured by the police. I want to tell the Election Commission that this is a threat. openness to democracy,” Sisodia accused.
Marking his charges with the Electoral Commission, he tweeted: “A candidate has been kidnapped. They used a gun to force him to withdraw his nomination. What could be the case? greater urgency to the Electoral Commission? So we went to the Electoral Commission with an appeal for immediate action.”
Another AAP leader, Raghav Chaddha, posted a dramatic video of what he called Mr Jariwala being “pulled” and forced to withdraw his nomination.
“See how the police and BJP thugs come together – drag our Surat East candidate Kanchan Jariwala to the RO office, forcing him to withdraw his nomination The term ‘election’ freedom and justice’ has become a joke!” he tweeted.
See how the police and BJP thugs come together – drag our Surat East candidate Kanchan Jariwala to the RO office, forcing him to withdraw his nomination
The term ‘free and fair elections’ has become a joke! pic.twitter.com/CY32TrUZx8
– Raghav Chadha (@raghav_chadha) November 16, 2022
Mr Sisodia said the BJP was “panic” about losing Gujarat and therefore resorted to kidnapping an AAP candidate.
Kanchan Jariwala and his family went missing yesterday as he went to scrutinize his nomination papers, AAP announced. Mr Sisodia, Deputy Premier of Delhi and number two leader of AAP, said: “As soon as he walked out of office after being scrutinized for nomination, BJP thugs arrested him. Go.
“This is dangerous. This is the kidnapping of democracy, not just a candidate,” he alleged.
Several AAP leaders tweeted the allegations.
“Our candidate from Surat (East), Kanchan Jariwala and his family have been missing since yesterday. At first, BJP tried to get his nomination rejected. But his nomination was rejected. He was accepted. He was then pressured to withdraw his nomination. He was kidnapped?” tweeted Arvind Kejriwal.
Our candidate from Surat (East), Kanchan Jariwala and his family have been missing since yesterday. First, the BJP tried to get his nomination rejected. But his nomination was accepted. He was then pressured to withdraw his nomination.
Has he been kidnapped?
– Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) November 16, 2022
The BJP, in power in Gujarat for 27 years, this time faces a strong challenge from the AAP, which has turned the traditional rivalry between the BJP and the National Assembly in the state into a three-way competition.
Gujarat votes on December 1 and 5 for a new government. Results will be announced on December 8.
The kidnapping allegation overlaps with the BJP’s allegation that the AAP MLA was involved in bribes made in exchange for the party’s nomination in the Delhi civic polls.
Three men, including a relative and a personal assistant to AAP MLA Akhilesh Pati Tripathi, were arrested yesterday for allegedly receiving thousands of dollars from a party employee who wanted to become a candidate. Another AAP MLA, Rajesh Gupta, has also been named and Delhi Police claim to have audio and video evidence.
The BJP said the incident “revealed the true face of AAP once again”.
