In the throes of the sixth phase of the general elections, Delhi Minister and AAP luminary Atishi exercised her franchise on Saturday. She levied accusations against Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena, asserting that he orchestrated a conclave with the Delhi Police to impede the voting process in constituencies where the INDIA bloc holds sway.
“Credible intel reveals that, on the preceding evening, the LG convened a symposium with Delhi Police brass, dispensing directives to decelerate the electoral proceedings in areas loyal to the INDIA alliance. Such maneuvers, if realized, would constitute a breach of the sanctity of free and fair elections. We anticipate the Election Commission to duly address this matter,” Atishi articulated.
Casting her ballot in the Kalkaji precinct of New Delhi, Atishi underscored the electoral skirmish between AAP’s Somnath Bharti and BJP’s Bansuri Swaraj in the New Delhi constituency. She implored the citizenry to brave the swelter and participate in the democratic process.
“I urge the denizens of Delhi and the nation to transcend the oppressive heat and fulfill their democratic duty by voting. Elections epitomize the democratic spirit, and every individual bears the onus to engage in this pivotal act,” she further remarked.
Previously, Atishi reiterated these allegations in a missive on X, prompting Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal to express his consternation: “This is astonishing. The EC must ensure the seamless conduct of voting in Delhi.”
Countering the AAP’s assertions, Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena retorted, “I have taken a stringent stance on this baseless and spurious allegation leveled on the eve of elections against a constitutional figure by a Minister, which you have endorsed.”
He continued, “Such impropriety is intolerable. These patently ludicrous and fabricated claims are a calculated attempt to undermine democracy by deceiving voters. Stern action will follow.”
This phase of the Lok Sabha elections encompasses eight constituencies in Bihar, the entirety of Haryana’s ten seats, a solitary seat in Jammu and Kashmir, four in Jharkhand, all seven seats in Delhi, six in Odisha, fourteen in Uttar Pradesh, and eight in West Bengal. A sprawling cohort of 889 candidates is contending. Both Delhi and Haryana’s parliamentary seats are slated for this phase.
The electrifying electoral duel in Delhi sees AAP and Congress jointly opposing the BJP, which secured all seven of Delhi’s Lok Sabha seats in the previous two elections. While Congress is vying for three seats in the capital, AAP is contesting four. These parties are unified under the INDIA bloc.
