Kejriwal Approaches EC to Save Avadh Ojha from Disqualification Threat
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener Arvind Kejriwal announced on Monday that the party has approached the Election Commission of India (ECI) to prevent the disqualification of its Patparganj constituency candidate, Avadh Ojha, due to a delay in transferring his vote from Uttar Pradesh to Delhi.
New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener Arvind Kejriwal announced on Monday that the party has approached the Election Commission of India (ECI) to prevent the disqualification of its Patparganj constituency candidate, Avadh Ojha, due to a delay in transferring his vote from Uttar Pradesh to Delhi.
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Alleged Conspiracy to Deprive Ojha of Candidacy
Addressing the media, Kejriwal accused the Delhi election office of conspiring to make Ojha ineligible to contest the February 5 Delhi Assembly elections. Ojha, who is currently registered as a voter in Greater Noida, submitted his Form 8 application on January 7 to shift his vote to Delhi, which was within the EC’s deadline of 10 days before the start of filing nominations on January 17. However, Kejriwal alleged that the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) revised the cut-off date for accepting such applications to January 6, putting Ojha’s candidacy at risk.
“This appears to be a deliberate attempt to prevent Ojha from filing his nomination,” Kejriwal stated. He also emphasized that, according to the ECI’s manual, the election office can consider late applications as a “special case.”
Allegations of Voter List Manipulation
Kejriwal also renewed his allegations of manipulation in the voter list, particularly in the New Delhi constituency. He claimed that district election officials were allowing the registration of new voters at the residences of BJP MPs in the area.
“Thirty to 40 new voter applications are coming from each MP’s bungalow,” Kejriwal alleged, a claim that the BJP has consistently denied. Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar had dismissed similar allegations when announcing the Delhi election schedule last week.
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Avadh Ojha’s Tribute to Kejriwal
Avadh Ojha, who is contesting his maiden election, has praised Kejriwal, calling him an “avatar of Krishna.” Ojha, a renowned civil services coach, recently joined AAP and was given the Patparganj ticket, replacing former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who is contesting from Jangpura.
In an interview, Ojha expressed his admiration for Kejriwal, saying, “Arvind Kejriwal is definitely a God, an incarnation of Lord Krishna.” He also described Kejriwal as the Prime Minister of 2029, highlighting the democratic and merit-based approach Kejriwal embraces in his leadership style.
