Atishi changed her father, says Delhi BJP's Ramesh Bidhuri after sexist remark on Priyanka

The AAP says Bidhuri's 'abusive remarks' against a female chief minister exposed the BJP's 'anti-women' mindset.

BJP's Kalkaji candidate Ramesh Bidhuri courted yet another controversy, attacking Delhi Chief minister Atishi over her surname.

Speaking at BJP's Parivartan Rally in Rohini that was later addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Bidhuri said Atishi changed her surname from "Marlena" to "Singh". Atishi, who is the sitting MLA from Kalkaji seat, dropped her surname. "This Marlena (surname used earlier by Atishi) became Singh, changed name. Kejriwal swore over his children not to go with the corrupt Congress, Marlena changed father. Earlier she was Marlena, now she has become Singh. This is their character," Bidhuri charged.

As the video of Bidhuri's speech showed up on the internet, AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal lashed at the BJP saying its leaders crossed all the limits of "shamelessness." "BJP leaders are hurling abuses at Delhi chief minister Atishi ji. Delhi people will not tolerate the insult of a woman chief minister. All the women in Delhi will take revenge of this," he said in a post on X.

The AAP in a statement said Bidhuri's "abusive remarks" against a female chief minister exposed the BJP's "anti-women" mindset. Reacting to Bidhuri’s remark, AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal said that BJP leaders have crossed all their limits of shamelessness.

“BJP leaders have crossed all limits of shamelessness. BJP leaders are abusing Delhi Chief Minister Atishi ji. The people of Delhi will not tolerate the insult of a woman Chief minister. All the women of Delhi will take revenge for this,” Kejriwal said in a post on X.

"If he behaves this way now, imagine the treatment ordinary women would face if he mistakenly became an MLA," said the ruling party in Delhi.

The party said Kejriwal's promise of Rs 2,100 monthly allowance for the city's women has rattled the BJP. Delhi will teach the BJP and Ramesh Bidhuri a lesson by defeating him, the AAP asserted.

Bidhuri had courted another controversy earlier in the day claiming that if the BJP is voted to power in Delhi assembly, it will build smooth roads “like Priyanka Gandhi’s cheeks” in the constituency.

Bidhuri made a reference to Lalu Yadav’s remark on Hema Malini and roads in Bihar and said that the RJD could not make roads in the state “like Hema Malini’s cheeks”, but the BJP would definitely build “roads in Kalkaji like Priyanka Gandhi’s cheeks”.

“We will build all roads in Kalkaji like the cheeks of Priyanka Gandhi. Lalu had said that he would build roads in Bihar like the cheeks of Hema Malini, he had lied. He could not. But I assure you that we will make all roads in Kalkaji like the cheeks of Priyanka Gandhi,” he said.

The remark drew widespread criticism for his party.

The elections for 70 member Delhi Assembly are due in February.