The Congress Party on Monday made a formal complaint against Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal with the Election Committee over the latter's 'bribe' remarks, where the former Delhi chief minister urged the citizens of the city to accept money offered by the grand old party and the Bharatiya Janata Party, but to vote for him.
"The statement made during a rally on January 18, which was covered extensively by the media and has sparked many debates, is provoking the people. Taking bribes, inciting people to indulge in corruption: that is a criminal offense. This is damaging to our democracy," Congress legal cell head KC Mittal told ANI.
"We have pleaded that the EC that, understanding the gravity of the statement made, it should take stern action against [Kejriwal]. This is scandalous," he added.
Meanwhile, BJP spokesperson Nalin Kohli dismissed Kejriwal's remarks, terming it 'bizarre' and took a dig at the controversy surrounding an AAP leader's celebratory gestures during the recently held Delhi Cantonment Board elections.
"Kejriwal is used to making an allegation a day, and when he doesn't have an allegation, he says the most bizarre things. What kind of insult of the voters and political parties is this? As if the BJP is giving money to voters," he said.
"Kejriwal's party has a different model of collecting money - they collect it from the people by inviting them for dinner and throw it in the air over small victories," he added.
The elections for the 70-member Delhi Assembly will be held in a single phase on February 7, with the counting of votes set to take place on February 10.