Delhi polls: Imam Bukhari appeals Muslims to support AAP to protect country from 'divisive forces'
New Delhi, Feb 6: With less than 24 hours left before the onset of the big day, the Jama Masjid's Shahi Imam, Syed Ahmed Bukhari has appealed Muslims to vote for Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi Assembly election.
Reportedly, while addressing a gathering after the Friday meet, Imam exhorted the Muslims to support the rookie party for the sake of secular government in Delhi.
Lashing out at the Saffron party, Imam said, "BJP ever since it came in power at the centre is dividing the country on religious lines. AAP is a secular party and Muslims for their betterment should vote for it."
Meanwhile, AAP has rejected the support.
When Imam of Jama Masjid Bukhari said no to Narendra Modi, yes to Nawaz Sharif
Earlier in run up to Lok Sabha election, Shahi Imam had supported Congress while his younger brother Yahya Bukhari had pronounced that he will vote for BJP's rival, AAP in Delhi.
Over
1.33
crore
electorate
will
decide
the
fate
of
673
candidates
in
the
fray
for
the
Delhi
Assembly
elections
on
Saturday.
Polling
will
take
place
at
12,177
polling
stations,
of
which
714
have
been
identified
as
"critical".
Of
these,
191
are
"highly
critical".
The
BJP,
which
is
out
of
power
in
Delhi
for
the
last
16
years,
made
a
gamble
by
bringing
in
former
Team
Anna
member
Kiran
Bedi
into
the
party
and
made
her
its
Chief
Ministerial
candidate
which
is
said
to
have
triggered
discontent
among
the
party
leaders
and
rank
and
file.
The BJP strategy has been countered by Kejriwal-led AAP which has put up a spirited campaign in a bid to stop the Modi juggernaut that has been on a roll ever since the Lok Sabha election victory in May last year.
BJP leaders Amit Shah and union ministers M Venkaiah Naidu and Arun Jaitley have dismissed projections that the Delhi election is a referendum on the Modi government's performance, a statement seen by critics as an effort to shield the Prime Minister from any criticism.
OneIndia
(With inputs from PTI)