The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Friday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of orchestrating an attack on Delhi Chief Minister and party convenor Arvind Kejriwal during his padyatra in the Vikaspuri area. According to AAP, the incident was an attempt to harm Kejriwal as part of a larger political agenda. Atishi, who took over as the chief minister of Delhi last month, delivered a strong response, stating that the people of Delhi “will never forgive” the BJP if anything were to happen to Kejriwal. She stressed that the attack represented “dirty politics” by a party unable to defeat AAP in the electoral arena, thus allegedly resorting to desperate measures.

Atishi Claims Attack Linked to Political Tensions

During a press conference, Atishi accused the BJP of lowering the standards of political rivalry by orchestrating an attack on a democratically elected leader. “The people of Delhi have seen how low the BJP's dirty politics can stoop,” she said, describing the alleged incident as a premeditated act of hostility. She argued that the BJP’s ongoing harassment against Kejriwal has crossed limits, asserting that BJP’s electoral struggles with AAP have pushed it to target the party leader directly. Atishi pointed to numerous instances over the past two years where BJP allegedly attempted to malign AAP’s leadership by filing false cases, arresting Kejriwal, and imposing other forms of political and personal pressure.

Concerns Over Kejriwal’s Safety and Alleged Harassment

Atishi also emphasized that this attack fits into a pattern of harassment directed at Kejriwal by the BJP. She highlighted previous incidents, including an episode when Kejriwal was reportedly denied insulin while in custody, despite his 30-year history with diabetes. She claimed that only after intense protests by AAP workers and the residents of Delhi did he receive the necessary medical care, describing the incident as emblematic of BJP’s treatment of opposition leaders. “Since BJP is now clearly seeing that their attempts to trouble Arvind Kejriwal have failed on all fronts, they now want to kill Arvind Kejriwal,” she alleged, portraying the padyatra attack as an extension of prior hostile actions.

BJP Denies Allegations

In response, BJP leaders categorically rejected AAP’s charges, calling them a political ploy. Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva clarified that the incident during Kejriwal's padyatra involved citizens voicing their concerns and dissatisfaction, especially regarding water pollution issues in their locality. Sachdeva argued that AAP is labeling public questions as a “BJP-sponsored attack,” interpreting it as an attempt to divert attention from pressing issues affecting Delhi. Sachdeva stated, “If public is asking Arvind Kejriwal questions, then what problem does he have? Today, people just asked him questions over polluted water,” underscoring that the BJP had no role in any alleged assault.

Kejriwal’s Message to Delhi Voters

During the padyatra, Kejriwal directly addressed residents, urging them to be wary of the BJP in the upcoming Assembly elections. He warned that a BJP victory could lead to widespread power cuts, inflated electricity bills, and other issues affecting their daily lives. Kejriwal’s remarks were seen as an attempt to consolidate voter support for AAP, positioning his party as a protector of Delhi’s interests in the face of a challenging political climate. He appealed to the voters to back AAP to prevent policies that could, according to him, disrupt essential services and impact the lives of ordinary citizens.