Former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal of the Aam Aadmi Party Tuesday invited the BJP's chief ministerial candidate Kiran Bedi to a public debate. But, the BJP turned it down.
The Bharatiya Janata Party called it a popularity stunt of Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
Kejriwal, in a message on Twitter, congratulated Bedi for her nomination and said: "I invite you for a public debate moderated by neutral person and telecast by all."
He also said that Bedi has blocked him on Twitter.
"Kiranji, I used to follow you on twitter. Now, you have blocked me on twitter. Kindly unblock me," Kejriwal said.
The BJP turned down the proposal, and said any debate would take place only in the Delhi assembly.
"AAP is all about publicity, they want to use Kiranji for their publicity. Any debate should take place only in the Delhi assembly," BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said.
"Kiranji blocked Kejriwal on Twitter one year back, he (Kejriwal) should have approached her then," said Patra.
The BJP Monday announced Bedi as its chief ministerial candidate for the Feb 7 Delhi polls. The vote count takes place Feb 10.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors
Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share
Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor
Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements
Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app