NEW DELHI: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has raised allegations against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), claiming that approximately 150 legally installed hoardings depicting party leader Arvind Kejriwal were inexplicably torn down across Delhi. The hoardings, which carried the provocative message “In one year, Delhi is in distress, Arvind Kejriwal is being remembered,” were removed allegedly due to pressure from the BJP, instigating a public uproar.

Saurabh Bharadwaj, president of AAP Delhi, revealed during a press conference that these hoardings were strategically placed in high-traffic areas such as Connaught Place and throughout various districts of the city. He emphasized that every installation was legally authorized and had followed the necessary payment protocols with the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC). “It’s shocking that these were not illegal hoardings, and yet they are facing vandalism as a response,” he stated.

Bharadwaj went on to assert that vendors responsible for the installation of these hoardings experienced intimidation. “Vendors are receiving threats that if they don’t take down the hoardings, they will be blacklisted from future contracts,” he noted, suggesting that the BJP is frightened by Kejriwal's influence as his name resonates with the public. He urged citizens to recognize that any removal of the hoarding is an attack on their voice. Bharadwaj concluded by stating, “What is written on the hoardings is on the lips of every Delhiite.”

As of the publication of this article, the BJP has yet to issue a formal response to these serious allegations made by AAP, leaving the political atmosphere in Delhi fraught with tension. The actions taken against the hoardings and the responses from both parties will likely play an essential role in shaping the local political landscape in the lead-up to upcoming elections.