Kejriwal asks if RSS backs BJP’s cash for votes, removal of voters

As the Delhi Assembly elections near, amid allegations of cash for votes and the deletion of voters from the electoral list, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal, in a letter to RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, questioned whether the RSS supported the BJP’s alleged electoral manipulation and corruption.

Kejriwal questioned whether the RSS supported the BJP’s alleged actions, including "cash for votes" schemes and the deletion of votes from electoral rolls. The AAP leader raised concerns about the distribution of money by BJP leaders to buy votes, as well as large-scale cuts in Dalit and Purvanchali votes, asking if the RSS condoned such practices.

The letter follows recent accusations by Kejriwal regarding the BJP’s alleged "Operation Lotus" in New Delhi, claiming that the saffron party had been attempting to manipulate voter lists since December 15. According to Kejriwal, the BJP sought to delete around 5,000 votes and add approximately 7,500 votes, potentially impacting 12 per cent of the total voters in the constituency. He questioned the integrity of the election process, suggesting that such manipulation undermined the democratic system.

The BJP has denied these allegations, countering that the AAP had included illegal voters, specifically Bangladeshis and Rohingyas, in the electoral rolls. The BJP further claimed that AAP had registered fraudulent votes in households where multiple votes had been added for a single address. The party has vowed to remove any illegal votes from the list.

This marks the second time Kejriwal has addressed Bhagwat with concerns over the BJP's conduct. In September 2024, he had written a similar letter with five questions related to the BJP's leadership.

The Delhi Assembly Elections are expected to take place in early 2025, and the allegations exchanged between the two parties are likely to shape the political discourse in the lead-up to the polls.