BJP's Parvesh Verma claims Kejriwal may not contest from New Delhi seat

BJP leader and former West Delhi MP Parvesh Verma on Friday claimed AAP supremo and former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal may change his seat in the upcoming assembly polls and not contest from the New Delhi constituency.

Kejriwal has been the MLA from the New Delhi seat since 2013 and is AAP candidate from the constituency for the fourth time in a row.

No immediate reaction was available from the AAP over the post by Verma.

Verma, son of former Delhi chief minister Sahib Singh Verma, has claimed that the national BJP leadership has asked him to prepare for the polls from New Delhi assembly constituency.

 

In a post on X, he said, "Sources have told me that Arvind Kejriwal may change his seat. I just want to ask Kejriwal ji to please do not run away from New Delhi Assembly seat. Contest the polls with democratic dignity".

Kejriwal on Thursday slammed Verma for distributing Rs 1,100 to women in New Delhi, saying his father would have been ashamed of him for a "traitor" son like him.

The AAP has also filed a complaint against Verma with the Enforcement Directorate (ED), alleging that cash was being distributed in Kejriwal's constituency ahead of polls. The party has demanded that the agency register a case of money laundering against Verma.

Verma has maintained that the money was given to women by social organisation Rashtriya Swabhiman, founded by his father Sahib Singh Verma. He said he will continue to help the needy women till model code of conduct is imposed for the polls.

The elections for the 70-member Delhi Assembly are due to be held in February. The Congress has fielded Sandeep Dikshit, son of former three-time Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit, from New Delhi.