New Delhi:

The AAP vs BJP political row is ready to blow up (once more) after Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal stated Friday morning that he plans to skip a fifth summons from the Enforcement Directorate, leaving himself open to arrest. The AAP boss was referred to as for questioning over the liquor coverage case, however will as a substitute protest Tuesday’s Chandigarh mayoral election, which the BJP received underneath contentious circumstances.

Safety in and across the Chief Minister’s residence, and the AAP and BJP HQs, has been tightened in anticipation of protests and counter-protests, which is able to see Mr Kejriwal and his Punjab counterpart, Bhagwant Mann, take to nationwide capital’s streets collectively.

Movies shared by information company ANI confirmed scores of AAP and BJP employees massed at completely different factors within the metropolis, holding placards and celebration flags, and shouting slogans in opposition to the opposite facet.

#WATCH | Bharatiya Janata Get together employees protest in opposition to Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal exterior Aam Aadmi Get together workplace in Delhi pic.twitter.com/meM8NVaivS

— ANI (@ANI) February 2, 2024

Additionally, 25 AAP employees have been detained on the Punjab-Haryana border, with visuals from information company ANI exhibiting barricades and police checking automobiles coming into town. There are additionally reviews of different detentions and AAP Haryana boss, Sushil Gupta, has been detained by Delhi cops.

Delhi Police has detained 25 AAP employees from Singhu border thus far. All of them are the celebration employees from Punjab and Haryana. Police suspect that they have been going to participate within the celebration’s protest at this time. A number of different employees have been stopped. Those that have been detained on the… https://t.co/1KIvdD5afG

— ANI (@ANI) February 2, 2024

Visuals earlier at this time confirmed huge visitors jams on main roads across the AAP workplace on town’s Deen Dayal Upadhyay Street. Over a thousand police and paramilitary personnel have been deployed.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) M Harsha Vardhan, stated, “We’re all set to make sure no law-and-order scenario arises, and every little thing goes easily. We’ve got taken all essential measures…”

AAP, BJP Squabble On X

As Delhi Police preps for what could possibly be a violent Friday, the 2 events’ leaders have already exchanged opening barbs on X (previously Twitter).

Delhi Training Minister Atishi this morning claimed “fraud” had been dedicated overtly within the Chandigarh election and taunted the BJP for being “so scared” of her celebration.

“Heavy barricades all throughout Delhi, buses filled with volunteers being detained, tons of of para-military forces exterior AAP workplace – why is BJP so petrified of a protest on Chandigarh mayor elections?”

पहले चंडीगढ़ मेयर चुनाव में वोट चोरी किए।

अब इसके ख़िलाफ़ शांतिपूर्ण प्रदर्शन करने आ रही जनता को जगह जगह दिल्ली भर में रोका जा रहा है https://t.co/PsZpGAcNS8

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) February 2, 2024

Mr Kejriwal re-posted her tweet and claimed votes (in that ballot) had been “stolen”. “Now folks coming to protest peacefully in opposition to this are being stopped at varied locations throughout Delhi,” he stated.

Saurabh Bharadwaj, the Well being Minister, additionally accused the BJP of committing fraud.

“The nation is aware of how BJP dedicated fraud in Chandigarh. Forward of this protest, our MLAs, councillors and celebration employees are being detained. Is BJP so petrified of Arvind Kejriwal…?”

#WATCH | On AAP’s protest in opposition to BJP at this time, Delhi minister & AAP chief Saurabh Bharadwaj says, ” The nation is aware of how the BJP dedicated fraud in Chandigarh mayoral polls. Arvind Kejriwal & Bhagwant Mann will maintain a peaceable protest on the BJP workplace at this time. Forward of this… pic.twitter.com/6SAEtK3KaC

— ANI (@ANI) February 2, 2024

The celebration’s major deal with has additionally been attacking the BJP; {a photograph} of AAP councillor Promila Gupta sitting at dwelling with Delhi Police personnel was shared with a declare “Modi Police” had detained her. “What’s the BJP afraid of? A peaceable demonstration?” the celebration wrote.

The BJP has been fast to reply, with nationwide spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla posting a prolonged video message attacking Mr Kejriwal for persevering with to play the “victimhood” card.

“Arvind Kejriwal… if there’s nothing to cover then why are you not presenting your self earlier than the ED and different companies? You’re the similar Kejriwal who, underneath Anna Hazare’s tutelage, stated first there needs to be resignation, then investigation. However at this time you refuse to cooperate with investigation.”

Mr Poonawalla additionally slammed the INDIA opposition bloc, of which Mr Kejriwal’s AAP is a member, declaring “the one factor that binds them is fee and corruption, not mission or imaginative and prescient.”

Delhi BJP chief Harish Khurana echoed that sentiment.

“As soon as once more Kejriwal has skipped summons. That is the fifth time. Kejriwal is looking it illegal so the query is why he hasn’t gone to court docket and bought it quashed. It’s a tactic to indicate himself helpless…”

Chandigarh Mayoral Polls Fallout

The AAP ripped into the BJP this week after the latter’s shock win within the Chandigarh mayoral race. The AAP-Congress alliance – underneath the INDIA umbrella, its first electoral foray – had the numbers however fell brief by 4 votes after eight – from Mr Kejriwal’s celebration – have been “invalidated” for unspecified causes.

READ | Arvind Kejriwal’s “Like Trump” Warning After AAP, Congress’ Ballot Loss

Chatting with reporters after the outcomes, Mr Kejriwal drew parallels to former United States President Donald Trump – who contested the switch of energy after he misplaced the 2020 election, claiming his rivals had rigged votes.

Along with at this time’s protests, the AAP and Congress have approached the Supreme Courtroom. Senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi talked about the matter, saying the Returning Officer had been “caught on video smudging the ballots”, to which Chief Justice DY Chandrachud stated, “It is going to be listed.”

Delhi Liquor Coverage Case

The AAP has been vociferous in its help of Mr Kejriwal on the liquor coverage case entrance, with senior leaders accusing the BJP of manipulating central companies to focus on him. The AAP has repeatedly claimed the BJP’s plan is to arrest Mr Kejriwal simply earlier than the April/Could Lok Sabha election.

Mr Kejriwal was questioned by the Central Bureau of Investigation in April, however has not but been made an accused, by both company. If he’s arrested at this time, he turns into the primary sitting Chief Minister to be taken into custody. Jharkhand’s Hemant Soren prevented that undesirable distinction Wednesday night time.

READ | Hemant Soren Despatched To Jail For A Day, Probe Company Custody Choice Immediately

Three AAP leaders, all former ministers, have been arrested thus far. Two – former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh – have been arrested within the liquor coverage case, whereas the third – former Well being Minister Satyendra Jain – was arrested in an unrelated case.

All three stay behind bars.

The Delhi liquor case refers to allegations the AAP authorities’s revamped alcohol gross sales coverage of 2022 allowed it to obtain crores in kickbacks from cartels, and that this cash was channelled into funding election bills in Goa and different states.

NDTV Explains | What Is Delhi Liquor Coverage Case Linked To Arvind Kejriwal’s AAP

The AAP has refuted all prices. The Delhi authorities reported a 27 per cent improve in earnings from the coverage and generated Rs 8,900 crore in income. 

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