Delhi polls: AAP attacks BJP on issue of Jat reservations, fake voter registrations

AAP supremo and Delhi’s former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday cornered the BJP on the issue of Jat reservation asking when will the promise of giving them OBC reservation at the central level be fulfilled. 

Kejriwal’s outreach to the Jat community is significant as they form a formidable chunk of voters, especially in the outskirts of Delhi.

Following his meeting with Jat leaders, Kejriwal claimed the BJP-led central government has neglected the community and in fact, giving step-motherly treatment to them in Delhi. “BJP has given place to Rajasthan Jayas in the Centre’s list but Delhi Jats are still in state lists”. 

The BJP has accused the AAP of playing caste politics and twisting the issue as no proposal was submitted to the central government for the same. 

Meanwhile, Kejriwal sharpened his attack on the BJP by accusing it of using the state machinery for fake voter registrations.

“20 to 30 voter registration forms were sent from the house of a BJP MLA but when it is questioned, the local bodies are giving justification for the incident. If the EC and others want BJP to win, why conduct elections?” he said.

Kejriwal said no matter what tactics the BJP used to win assembly elections in Maharashtra, it won't happen in Delhi. 

Meanwhile, he also raised the issue of the shifting of vote of Awadh Kumar Ojha, an AAP candidate running from the Patparganj constituency that could lead to a loss of his candidature. Kejriwal called this a conspiracy of the saffron party.

While the Election Commission might have given relief to Ojha to enlist as a voter in Delhi and file for nomination, after the AAP knocked on its door, the battle for Delhi is intensifying as the election date gets closer. 

It remains to be seen how much the issue of fake voters and alleged misuse of state machinery has resonance with Delhiites.