On Friday, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) alleged that several of its leaders, including MLAs and councillors, were either placed under house arrest or detained, while volunteers were prevented from participating in a protest outside the BJP headquarters in Delhi.<\/p>\n
The AAP’s protest, attended by Delhi Chief Minister and party national convener Arvind Kejriwal, aimed to highlight alleged “cheating” in Tuesday’s Chandigarh mayoral polls, which the BJP emerged victorious in.<\/p>\n
Security measures were heightened in Central Delhi, with police barricading multiple roads leading to the Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Marg and deploying additional personnel in anticipation of both the AAP’s demonstration and a BJP protest against perceived “corruption” in the Kejriwal government.<\/p>\n
The BJP’s protest was located near the AAP head office, as both party offices are on the same road, a short distance from each other.<\/p>\n
Gopal Rai, an AAP leader, stated in a press conference that their MLAs and councillors had been “placed under house arrest ahead of the protest.” He specifically mentioned Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel and Deputy Mayor Aaley Mohd Iqbal and urged the police to provide clarification on the matter, insisting on their immediate release.<\/p>\n
Arvind Kejriwal expressed his concerns on social media, claiming that individuals peacefully protesting against the alleged vote tampering in the Chandigarh mayoral elections were being halted across Delhi. He questioned the detention of elected representatives and volunteers coming to the party office.<\/p>\n
Roads leading to the Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Marg were closed, and barricades were set up near the BJP and AAP headquarters, according to officials.<\/p>\n
Delhi Minister and AAP leader Atishi raised questions about the heavy barricading and detention of buses carrying AAP volunteers. She questioned why the BJP was fearful of a protest on the Chandigarh mayoral elections.<\/p>\n
Saurabh Bharadwaj, another AAP leader, released a video statement questioning whether the BJP was afraid of Arvind Kejriwal. He highlighted the alleged vote tampering in the Chandigarh mayoral polls and expressed concern over the detention of councillors, MLAs, and party workers heading to their own party office.<\/p>\n
In Tuesday’s Chandigarh mayoral polls, the BJP secured a sweeping victory, retaining all three positions of mayor, senior deputy mayor, and deputy mayor. This outcome dealt a setback to the Congress-AAP alliance, which had raised allegations of ballot paper tampering by the presiding officer.<\/p>\n