Sidhu calls AAP's drive to select CM face 'scam', urges EC to lodge case

Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu on Monday dubbed AAP's survey to select its CM face for the state Assembly polls a "scam" and "a deceptive scheme" and said his party has lodged a complaint with the Election Commission against it.

Sidhu also launched a scathing attack against Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal, calling him a "trickster and hypocrite".

Addressing reporters at a press conference here, Sidhu urged the Election Commission to register a criminal case against AAP for running a "fake campaign".

AAP had announced its Punjab unit chief Bhagwant Mann as its CM face last week following the results of a survey in which people were asked to call on a phone number to give their preference.

Kejriwal had claimed that they had received over 21.59 lakh responses from January 13 to 17 under the "Janta Chunegi Apna CM" campaign and 93.3 per cent people had given Bhagwant Mann's name.

Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu got 3.6 per cent votes, the Delhi chief minister had added.

The Congress leader said this many calls can't be received on a private number over a few days.

"If we try to fit this data into mathematical calculations, then it does not make sense at all. Usually, such calls take at least 15 seconds, then only 5,760 calls can be attended in one day and that shall add up to 23,040 calls in four days," he said.

"It is a deceptive scam to trick people. This is exactly what he (Kejriwal) has done," he said.

"This mechanism of deceit to create an illusion and propaganda of fake news is a complete violation of the model code of conduct and the Election Commission of India should take strict notice of it," Sidhu said.

He said the Congress has complained to the election panel as to how Kejriwal is trying to "befool" people of Punjab through "dirty tricks".

Sidhu said the AAP's drive was "nothing but a deceptive scheme and a trick to fool people of Punjab".

Kejriwal is a "trickster and a hypocrite," said Sidhu.

"I will expose this hypocrite, he is a habitual liar. This was an avoidable lie. Why would you create all this nonsense and propaganda to do something like this? But if he has done this, it is not the first time. We have seen earlier how he went on an apology-tendering spree, including Bikram Singh Majithia," said Sidhu.

In the complaint to the Election Commission, Sidhu has written that AAP received around 7 lakh WhatsApp messages, 2.50 lakh voice messages and approximately 8 lakh voice calls.

Sidhu urged the poll panel to register a criminal case against AAP for running this "fake campaign".