No place for violence in democracy: Kejriwal reacts to Deshmukh's attack

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Convenor and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal condemned the attack on NCP-SCP leader Anil Deshmukh by unidentified miscreants, in a statement posted on Monday.

Taking to social media platform X, Kejriwal decried the violence, stating it has no place in a democratic society.

"I strongly condemn the life-threatening assault on Anil Deshmukh ji. Violence has no place in a democratic society," Kejriwal wrote on X. 

I strongly condemn the life-threatening assault on Anil Deshmukh ji.  Violence has no place in a democratic society. https://t.co/Qo9JIKoLKS

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) November 18, 2024

Anil Deshmukh, who sustained injuries in the attack, was rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment. The incident took place on the final day of campaigning for the November 20 Maharashtra Assembly elections.

The Nationalist Congress Party (SCP) leader and former Maharashtra minister was reportedly injured when his car was attacked with stones on the Katol-Jalalkheda Road in the Katol Assembly constituency.

Deshmukh's son, Salil Deshmukh, is contesting the election from the Katol seat on the NCP Sharad Pawar faction's ticket against BJP candidate Charansingh Thakur. The Maharashtra Assembly elections are set for November 20, with counting for all 288 constituencies scheduled for November 23.

The opposition MVA coalition, comprising Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and the Nationalist Congress Party (SCP), aims to reclaim power in the state, challenging the Mahayuti alliance, which includes the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, the BJP, and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP faction.

In the 2019 Assembly elections, the BJP won 105 seats, Shiv Sena 56, and Congress 44. In 2014, the BJP secured 122 seats, Shiv Sena 63, and Congress 42.