Withdrew nomination without any pressure: Surat candidate who AAP claimed was 'kidnapped'

New Delhi, Nov 16: Hours after withdrawing his nomination, AAP candidate from Surat (East) Kanchan Jariwala claimed that he "withdrew his nomination without any pressure" and by listening to his conscience after the voters of his constituency called him "anti-national".

In the purported video message, Jariwala said, "During campaigning, people repeatedly told me that I was anti-national and anti-Gujarat and they will not support me for the party from which I have filed my candidature. Getting such negative feedback from the public, my conscience cried."

"I listened to my conscience and made up my mind not to contest the election from such an anti-national and anti-Gujarat party and withdrew my nomination without any pressure," he said.

"Reason for withdrawing my nomination was that (AAP) workers in Surat(East) Assembly started resigning. The workers started demanding money. I'm not capable enough to spend Rs 80 lakh to Rs 1 crore. Their demand was so much that I couldn't fulfil it," Jariwala told ANI.

"There was a lot of pressure from the party. People were harassing me by calling again and again. I went away with my son's friends, there was no one from BJP. What I have to do now, I will tell after 5-7 days," he added.

Kanchan Jariwala, who was allegedly kidnapped last evening, took his nomination back ahead of the Gujarat Assembly elections. AAP has claimed he was being pressured by BJP to withdraw his nomination.

"Our candidate from Surat (East) from Gujarat, Kanchan Jariwala has just been brought to Returning Officer's office. He was circled by over 500 policemen & is now being pressured to take his nomination back," said AAP leader Manish Sisodia.

Kejriwal said that Kanchal Jariwal was being pressurised to withdraw his nomination and has now gone missing. The AAP candidate from Surat (East) has been kidnapped, Kejriwal alleged.

Taking to Twitter, Kejriwal said,"Our candidate from Surat (East), Kanchan Jariwala, and his family have been missing since yesterday. First, BJP tried to get his nomination rejected. But his nomination was accepted. Later, he was pressurised to withdraw his nomination. Has he been kidnapped?.''

Gujarat will go to polls in two phases and 182 seats will go up for polls.