'Operation Lotus': Kejriwal accuses BJP of manipulating electoral roll

Addressing the media, Arvind Kejriwal accused the BJP of running "Operation Lotus" by deleting voter applications in his assembly constituency, New Delhi

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday alleged that the BJP was trying to win the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections through unfair means by manipulating voter data.

 

Addressing the media, Kejriwal accused the BJP of running "Operation Lotus" by deleting voter applications in his assembly constituency, New Delhi.

 

"Operation Lotus has now reached my constituency. They are attempting to manipulate the electoral rolls to change the election outcome," Kejriwal alleged.

 

"This kind of manipulation undermines democracy. We appeal to the Election Commission to continue its strict monitoring to prevent such malpractice," he said.

 

Kejriwal, flanked by Delhi Chief Minister Atishi and Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha, alleged that the BJP had filed 11,000 voter deletion applications in one constituency alone, but the move was halted at Chief Election Commissioner's intervention.

 

"We exposed this, and thankfully, it was stopped," he said.

 

According to Kejriwal, BJP's "large-scale operation" began on December 15, with 5,000 voter deletion applications and 7,500 addition requests filed so far in New Delhi, a constituency he has won since 2013.

 

Kejriwal said the BJP's actions show that they have already conceded the elections. "They don't have a chief ministerial face or even proper candidates. They only aim to win through manipulation, but we won't let them succeed," he said.

 

BJP accuses AAP of 'manipulating votes'

 

On Saturday, Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva accused the AAP of "manipulating votes" in Delhi to win the upcoming elections.

 

Sachdeva produced a purported data to claim that lakhs of minority voters were added to the electoral rolls. He claimed that many Hindu house owners in Tughlaqabad and Kalkaji constituencies, currently held by AAP, have complained that many minority community persons were registered as voters.

 

In a post on X, the district election officer cum district magistrate of southeast Delhi said the allegations are being examined.

 

"Appropriate action shall be taken as per the Representation of People Act as well instructions/guidelines of ECI," said the officer in a post on X.

 

(With inputs from agencies)