Arvind Kejriwal Says Operation Lotus Underway, BJP Wants To Delete 5,000 Votes In New Delhi Seat

Arvind Kejriwal, the national convenor of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), has launched a critique against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing it of manipulating the voter list in Delhi. He alleges that since December 15, an operation named 'Operation Lotus' has been underway, aiming to alter the voter demographics to influence the upcoming state assembly elections. According to Kejriwal, this operation has led to the filing of applications for the deletion of 5,000 votes and the addition of 7,500 votes in his New Delhi assembly constituency within just 15 days.

Kejriwal highlighted the gravity of the situation by questioning the integrity of the election process. He pointed out that if nearly 12% of the total voters in an assembly can be manipulated, it calls into question the very need for conducting elections. He asserted, "BJP wants to win the election anyhow, even by dishonesty. But, the people of Delhi will not let this happen. The said tactics they used in the Haryana and Maharashtra Assembly elections - we will not let them win here by using that tactic."

Following these allegations, Kejriwal took formal action by penning a letter to the District Election Official (DEO), addressing the concerns regarding the voters list row. His efforts aim to safeguard the democratic process and ensure fair play in the upcoming assembly polls.

BJP Accuses AAP of Voter Manipulation

In a twist of events, the BJP has counter-accused AAP of engaging in voter manipulation tactics to secure a win in the Delhi Assembly elections. Virendra Sachdeva, the Delhi BJP president, during a press conference, presented data from the last Lok Sabha and Assembly polls. He alleged that AAP had added a significant number of minority voters to the electoral rolls, thereby skewing the voter demographic in their favor.

Sachdeva shared instances from the Tughlaqabad and Kalkaji constituencies, where local Hindu house owners reported unauthorized registration of minority community individuals as voters. To substantiate these claims, the BJP leaders introduced complainants from Tughlakabad during the conference.

The accusations from both sides have stirred a political storm in Delhi, casting shadows on the integrity of the election process. As both major political parties levy charges of voter list manipulation against each other, the controversy highlights the challenges facing India's democratic processes.