Chief Minister Atishi on Friday claimed that BJP's likely choice for the CM post was its Kalkaji candidate, Ramesh Bidhuri – one of her principal opponents from the seat, which also happens to be her home turf. Arvind Kejriwal also weighed in on these claims on Saturday and called for a "debate between the CM candidates of BJP and AAP in front of the people of Delhi".
Citing "credible sources", Atishi said that AAP has got to know that BJP will be declaring Ramesh Badhuri, the person who hurls the 'most abuses', as their CM face, ANI reported.
Terming Bidhuri a leader “notorious for his abusive language”, Atishi sought to contrast the former three-time Tughlakabad BJP MLA and the AAP’s “CM candidate Arvind Kejriwal”, urging the people to “decide whether they want a progressive, professional leader or someone whose reputation is built on offensive behaviour”.
Addressing a public gathering on Friday, Atishi also called the BJP as "Galli Galoch" party several times and said that Bidhuri is getting rewarded for hurling abuses against her and Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
"Today, the entire Delhi is asking from the 'Galli-Galoch' party who is its CM face. The people of Delhi know that by voting for AAP, Arvind Kejriwal will become the CM. But they are asking who will be BJP's CM face. BJP's Core Committee meeting is underway and this evening they will hold their parliamentary board meeting. Through credible sources, we have found that 'Galli-Galoch' party has decided that its CM face will be the one leader who hurls the most abuses, which is Ramesh Bidhuri. He is getting rewarded for hurling abuses against me, my family and Priyanka Gandhi," said Atishi.
The Delhi CM also alleged that persons who are most abusive and ill-mannered get the fastest growth in the BJP.
Atishi’s comments come after the recent row where Bidhuri made “derogatory and inflammatory” remarks involving Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi and Atishi and sparked outrage.
Kejriwal echoes similar sentiment
Former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday gave a similar statement. He said, "We are getting information that Ramesh Bidhuri's name will be officially announced (as BJP CM face) in the coming one or two days. I congratulate Ramesh Bidhuri on becoming the CM face of BJP. Ramesh Bidhuri should tell what he did for the development of Delhi while being an MP. What is his vision for Delhi? ... After the official announcement of his name, there should be a debate between the CM candidates of BJP and AAP in front of the people of Delhi..."
Earlier on Friday, AAP MP Sanjay Singh launched a scathing attack against the BJP during a press conference. He alleged massive corruption by a political party, referring to it as the "Galli Galoch" party. He claimed that the BJP leaders distributed Rs 1,100 openly to buy votes.
He challenged the party to reveal the truth, asking, "Did you give Rs 1,100 to your leaders to distribute among voters or not? Let the public know the reality... I ask the Galli-Galoch party to tell the truth before people."
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has kicked off the ‘Kejriwal vs whom in the BJP’ campaign, challenging the BJP to reveal its candidate for CM.
BJP hit back by saying that the AAP should stop dreaming about winning the polls. “It would have been better if Atishi Marlena, instead of speculating about who the BJP’s CM candidate will be, had questioned how Arvind Kejriwal, who is bound by restrictions imposed by the Supreme Court, dares to dream of becoming the CM again,” BJP Lok Sabha MP Kamaljeet Sehrawat said on Friday.
Polling for the Delhi assembly elections is scheduled for February 5 and the votes will be counted on February 8. So far the BJP has announced 29 candidates for the 70 seats, but not their CM candidate.
(With inputs from ANI)
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