New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal claimed that Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is set to announce Ramesh Bidhuri as its chief ministerial candidate for Delhi assembly elections.
Speaking at a press conference on Saturday, Kejriwal congratulated Bidhuri in advance and challenged him to an open debate on development issues once the BJP officially makes the announcement. “We are getting information that Ramesh Bidhuri’s name will be officially announced as the BJP CM face in the coming days. I congratulate him on this decision. Bidhuri should tell Delhiites what he has done for the city’s development as an MP and share his vision for the national capital,” Kejriwal said.
Kejriwal further proposed a debate between the CM candidates of BJP and AAP, saying that it should happen in front of the people of Delhi after the BJP’s formal announcement.
Atishi’s allegations against Ramesh Bidhuri
AAP leader and Delhi Chief Minister Atishi also weighed in on the matter, claiming that Bidhuri’s selection as the BJP’s CM candidate is a reward for his alleged abusive remarks. She referred to the BJP as the “Gaali Galauch (abusive) Party” and accused Bidhuri of being its “most abusive leader.”
In a post on X, Atishi said, “Reliable sources have revealed that in the BJP’s Central Election Committee meeting, it has been decided that Ramesh Bidhuri will be made the CM face. Now, Delhiites have two options—on one side is the educated, hardworking leader Arvind Kejriwal, and on the other side is the abusive Ramesh Bidhuri.”
Atishi, who is contesting from Kalkaji constituency, is facing competition from BJP’s Ramesh Bidhuri and Congress’s Alka Lamba.
Bidhuri’s controversial remarks
During election campaigning, Ramesh Bidhuri accused Atishi of changing her surname from “Marlena” to “Singh” and questioned her family background.
In another instance, Bidhuri sparked outrage by claiming that if the BJP comes to power, they would build roads as smooth as “Priyanka Gandhi’s cheeks.”
Voting for the Delhi assembly polls is scheduled for February 5, with counting on February 8. The national capital has a total of 1,55,24,858 registered voters, an increase of 1.09% since the last electoral roll update. Delhi has 70 assembly constituencies, including 58 general and 12 reserved for Scheduled Castes (SC).
