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The escalating political tensions in Delhi ahead of the February 5th Assembly elections have reached a new peak with the Delhi Congress filing a formal complaint with the Election Commission of India (ECI). The complaint centers around a social media poster published by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which included photographs of prominent Congress leaders, namely Rahul Gandhi, AICC treasurer Ajay Maken, and Sandeep Dikshit, alongside other individuals, under the banner of 'dishonest' people. The Congress vehemently denounced the poster, characterizing it as defamatory and malicious, and demanding its immediate removal from all AAP social media platforms. The party's legal cell chairman, Sunil Kumar, explicitly stated that the AAP's actions constitute a malicious campaign and reflect their dwindling electoral prospects. The complaint highlights the perceived hypocrisy within the AAP given their own recent struggles with allegations of corruption and the imprisonment of some of their leaders. This action underscores the increasingly bitter rivalry between the two parties despite a brief alliance during the previous Lok Sabha elections.
The AAP's poster, featuring a tagline proclaiming Arvind Kejriwal's honesty as outweighing that of his opponents, also included images of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, and several Delhi BJP leaders. However, the inclusion of Rahul Gandhi and other Congress figures is what sparked the Congress' ire. The party's complaint to the ECI argued that the poster blatantly violates the Model Code of Conduct and the provisions of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. The Congress contends that by contrasting Kejriwal's image as an honest leader against the alleged dishonesty of senior Congress members, the AAP is engaging in unfair and inflammatory campaigning. This strategic move by the AAP signals a significant escalation in the political warfare, suggesting that the party is prepared for a full-scale attack on the Congress in the run-up to the election. The inclusion of Rahul Gandhi, a prominent national figure, underscores the AAP's ambition to not just win the Delhi Assembly election but also to establish itself as a dominant force in the national political landscape.
The timing of the complaint is particularly significant, coming amid a period of already strained relations between the Congress and AAP. The two parties had formed an alliance during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, although this proved unsuccessful, with neither party securing a single seat in Delhi. The present situation, with both parties contesting the upcoming Assembly elections separately, amplifies the intensity of the conflict. The recent public statements by Rahul Gandhi, criticizing Kejriwal's governance record and comparing him unfavorably to former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, further fueled the tension. Gandhi’s criticism, accusing Kejriwal of echoing Prime Minister Modi's strategies of propaganda and false promises while failing to address crucial issues like pollution, corruption, and inflation in Delhi, provoked a sharp retort from Kejriwal. He countered that Gandhi's actions were motivated by a desire to 'save the Congress', while his own efforts focused on 'saving the country'. This exchange highlights the depth of the ideological and political divide between the two leaders and their respective parties.
The ongoing dispute underscores the complexities of the Delhi political landscape and the highly competitive nature of the upcoming Assembly elections. With 70 Assembly seats at stake, and the results scheduled for February 8th, the battle for Delhi promises to be intense and closely watched. The ECI's response to the Congress's complaint will be crucial in shaping the remaining campaign period, determining whether the AAP's poster remains online, and influencing the overall narrative of the elections. The outcome of this complaint could serve as a significant precedent for the use of social media in political campaigning during election cycles, shaping future regulations and influencing the way political parties engage with the public online. Furthermore, the broader implications of this conflict extend beyond Delhi, providing insight into the national political dynamics between the Congress and the AAP, two prominent parties with potentially significant roles in the future of Indian politics.
Source: Congress files complaint with poll body over AAP's 'dishonest' Rahul Gandhi poster