AAP vs BJP salvo: Casteist ad, Bedi aide withdraws resignation and more

With five days to go for the Delhi polls, election madness has hit fever pitch. Following ‘Super Sunday’ yesterday which saw rallies by all the big stars of AAP (Arvind Kejriwal), BJP (Narendra Modi) and Congress (Sonia Gandhi), we’re bang in the middle of Manic Monday, which is seeing resignations, complaints and High Court notices galore.

Here are the five big developments to come out of Delhi today:

1. The ‘casteist’ BJP ad

The BJP took out an ad in the Delhi newspapers today, slamming what it called Kejriwal’s ‘updrabi gotra (nuisance causing agent), featuring a caricature of the AAP leader waving a jhadu at a Republic Day parade. AAP immediately called the ad ‘casteist’ and have demanded an apology within 24 hours, saying that they would otherwise be forced to approach the Election Commission and make an official complaint.

AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal also tweeted out against the ad, saying “The BJP can fight against me. But how can they call the entire Agarwal gotra a disruptive one”, he said in a series of tweets this morning.

भाजपा को क्या हो गया है? पहले उन्होंने मेरे बच्चों पर निशाना साधा। मैं चुप रहा। अन्ना जी कहते हैं कि अपमान पीने की क्षमता होनी चाहिए।(1/6)

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) February 2, 2015

मैने समाज सेवा में निजी अपमान पर कभी प्रतिक्रिया नहीं की। लेकिन आज तो भाजपा ने अपने इश्तिहार में हद ही कर दी।(2/6)

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) February 2, 2015

आज भाजपा ने पूरे अगरवाल समाज को ही "उपद्रवी" बता दिया। उन्होंने मेरे गोत्र को "उपद्रवी गोत्र" लिख दिया।(3/6)

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) February 2, 2015

भाजपा की लड़ाई मुझसे हो सकती है। वो पूरे अगरवाल समाज को "उपद्रवी" कैसे कह सकती है?(4/6)

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) February 2, 2015

भाजपा अब जातिगत हमले पर उतर आई है। भाजपा पूरे अगरवाल समाज से माफ़ी मांगे।(5/6)

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) February 2, 2015

हम चुनाव आयोग से भी इसकी शिकायत करेंगे। दिल्ली के लोग ऐसी गाली गलोज की राजनीति पसंद नहीं करते। वोटिंग वाले दिन लोग इसका जवाब देंगे।(6/6)

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) February 2, 2015

The BJP for its part is unfazed, saying that AAP complained about everything except when they did something. In other words, don’t hold your breath for a BJP apology. In fact they went a step further and said they would complain against AAP to the EC, for giving a casteist spin to the ad. The BJP claimed that the AAP had failed to grasp the nuance of the political metaphor it had used in the ad.

2. No, no, no: Kiran Bedi’s campaign manager quits, then withdraws resignation

A campaign assistant of the BJP chief ministerial candidate Kiran Bedi quit the party, saying that he was upset over the manner in which she was treating party cadre.

According to a CNN-IBN report, Narendra Tandon, who is also a member of the BJP state executive, had said he was tired of Bedi’s ‘dictatorial attitude’.

“I have resigned today. I was fed up with the dictatorial attitude of Kiran Bedi and her staff. I tried many times to convey this to the top leadership but nothing has been done,” he told CNN-IBN.

However, he later said “I made an emotional decision… I will continue to work for the BJP,” Tandon told reporters in a brief statement after saying that he was withdrawing his resignation. Reports said that Tandon could also apologise for the resignation letter he wrote to BJP president Amit Shah earlier in the day, in which he had accused the BJP’s chief ministerial candidate of being dictatorial.

The Delhi BJP meanwhile hit back, saying that Tandon was only one of many campaign managers for Bedi, and that he resigned from the party three times in the past as well.

Bedi refused to comment on Tandon’s resignation, only saying ‘No no no no no’ in response to a question asked by a journalist.

3. Delhi HC issues notice against Kejriwal based on complaint

Acting on a petition filed by Congress’ candidate from New Delhi seat Kiran Walia questioning the legality of Arvind Kejriwal’s candidature from the seat - as he is a resident of Uttar Pradesh – the Delhi High Court, Monday, issued a notice to Kejriwal and the election commission.

Walia alleged that AAP Chief Arvind Kejriwal has been giving his wrong residence address because he wished to become an elector from Delhi. She added that he has committed a fraud by submitting a false affidavit to the Election Commission that he is a permanent resident of BK Dutt Colony.

She further said that the matter has been reported to the Election Commission and that Kejriwal’s name should be removed from the electoral list and a probe should be ordered into the matter.

4. Yogendra Yadav thanks Kiran Bedi for the ‘publicity’

Yogendra Yadav added an interesting perspective to the BJP’s renewed vigour in deriding AAP.

Though he said that he was ‘surprised that the EC approved the advertisement put out by the BJP’ he also pointed out that the BJP was just furthering AAP’s cause and advertising on their behalf. He said that since AAP doesn’t have a big advertising budget, it benefited the party when the BJP kept mentioning them in their ads. Once they have Delhi’s attention, thanks to BJP’s campaigning, he added, they could convince people to vote them.

Yadav pointed out how, one-rant-too-many Kiran Bedi was also a boon in disguise for AAP. He said, “One interview Kiran Bedi does is enough to help us for the next five days.”

“We don’t have any money of such kind, the BJP is doing such advertisements for us… we thank them,” he added.

5. Amit Shah to unveil ‘Vision 2050’ document at BJP HQ today

Following the release of the Aam Aadmi Party’s 70-point manifesto ahead of the Delhi elections on Saturday, the BJP is set to release its ‘vision document 2050’ later today.

Party president Amit Shah is set to reveal the document at party headquarters in Delhi, which is expected to focus on development. Ahead of its release, the party’s chief ministerial candidate Kiran Bedi said, “This will be a vision for 2050. A vision for Delhi to become a World class city”.

Bedi had earlier also shared a blueprint for Delhi’s development on her social media account, beginning with a 25 point action plan for women’s safety.

Bedi’s action plan includes measures like increased and smart patrolling in vulnerable areas, community policing and neighbourhood watch, safe and healthy nightlife – strengthening of patrolling and police presence in entertainment areas/hubs, stringent driver verification and state-wide centralized criminal database with inter-state coordination, CCTV cameras in public areas and buses, home guards and civil defence escorts on buses on vulnerable routes and at non-peak times, more ladies-special buses by DTC, street lighting in all areas with surprise inspections and full city accountability, and self-defence training among others.