As Delhi gears up for assembly elections, the political battlefield is heating up with a war of posters and accusations between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). Both parties have launched aggressive campaigns aimed at swaying public sentiment, with allegations of voter fraud and temple demolitions taking center stage.
The BJP fired the opening salvo, releasing a poster targeting AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal. The poster accused AAP of engaging in voter fraud, alleging that multiple voter entries, spanning ages 40 to 80, were registered at a single address without the homeowner’s consent. Calling it “a new game by Kejriwal to rig votes,” BJP leaders claimed the fraudulent registrations were part of a larger strategy to manipulate the election.
AAP retaliated with a video poster labeling Kejriwal as the “GOAT” (Greatest of All Time), portraying him as a leader who has delivered on promises despite criticism. Kejriwal, in turn, accused the BJP of hypocrisy, highlighting its stance against honorariums for religious leaders while allegedly facilitating temple demolitions in the capital.
“People are angry,” Kejriwal said in a post on X (formerly Twitter). Expanding on the accusations, Delhi Chief Minister Atishi claimed that the BJP-led central government had empowered the Lieutenant Governor (LG) to approve the demolition of temples without consulting the elected Delhi government. She pointed to a decision on November 22 by the Religious Committee, which now reports directly to the LG, approving the demolition of temples in West Patel Nagar, Dilshad Garden, Sultanpuri, and a Buddhist temple in Sundar Nagari.
“The BJP’s dual face is clear. They claim to protect Hinduism but work to destroy temples,” Atishi said during a press conference.
In response, BJP leaders turned the spotlight on AAP’s alleged governance failures. BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi accused Kejriwal’s government of neglecting pressing issues such as clean water, women’s safety, slum rehabilitation, pollution, and the cleaning of the Yamuna River.
“Instead of solving these problems, Kejriwal’s government has done nothing,” Trivedi said. He added that while Prime Minister Narendra Modi has brought credibility to politics, AAP has done the opposite.
MP Praveen Khandelwal also criticized AAP’s recent announcements, such as honorariums for priests and granthis, calling them political stunts. “The Delhi treasury is empty. Kejriwal only makes announcements to gain electoral benefits,” Khandelwal said.
With accusations flying thick and fast, the poster war underscores the high stakes of the upcoming elections, as both parties seek to win over voters in a politically charged atmosphere.
