AAP, BJP in war of words over new electoral roll in Delhi

The AAP and the BJP engaged in a war of words on Saturday over the recently-released electoral roll.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) alleged "mass" deletion of names to favour the BJP and demanded the Election Commission explain "net decrease" in the electoral roll of 2019.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) hit back, saying the list showing an increase of 9.8 lakh voters as compared to 2014 exposed the "lies" of the AAP and its chief Arvind Kejriwal.

The AAP accused the BJP of being involved in "mass deletion" of names of voters of specific communities fearing defeat in the coming Lok Sabha election.

"There is a decrease of about 1.2 lakh voters since January, 2018. This clearly vindicates the AAP's claim that the BJP has orchestrated and engineered the biggest ever voter deletion fraud against the people of Delhi," said party spokesperson and South Delhi Lok Sabha seat in-charge Raghav Chadha.

The BJP is "completely rattled" sensing a "humiliating defeat" in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, he alleged.

The BJP's Delhi unit president Manoj Tiwari said Kejriwal should stop "politics of falsehood" and face the next election on the basis of his government's achievements.

"The people will decide whether he is fit for being re-elected even after betrayal of the people. It is a slap on the face of AAP and its leaders who have been claiming 30 lakh voters' names have been deleted."