Delhi Assembly Elections 2020: Campaigning Ends After Weeks of 'Polarising Battle', Voters to Take Final Call on February 8
Delhi, according to pollsters, witnessed a "bitter campaign" which has left the region polarised. While the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) wanted the polls to be referendum on the five-year performance of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, the Centre-ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was apparently in favour of turning national issues into poll planks.
New Delhi, February 8: With less than two days remaining for the assembly polls in Delhi, the Election Commission on Thursday announced an end to all forms of campaigning. Electioneering through public outreach programmes, rallies and meetings have been barred by the polling body till 6:30 pm on February 8. Over 1.46 crore eligible voters of the national capital territory will decide the fate of political parties and candidates in fray on Saturday.
Delhi, according to pollsters, witnessed a "bitter campaign" which has left the region polarised. While the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) wanted the polls to be referendum on the five-year performance of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, the Centre-ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was apparently in favour of turning national issues into poll planks. 'Shaheen Bagh vs Bharat Mata': Amit Shah Draws New Battlelines For Delhi Assembly Elections 2020.
The discourse plunged to another low in the last lap of the campaign trail, with a couple of star campaigners being pulled up by the Election Commission for their controversial remarks. Among them, West Delhi BJP MP Parvesh Verma was barred for 96 hours from hitting the campaign trail after he called the Shaheen Bagh protesters "rapists and murderers".
Senior BJP leader and Union Minister Anurag Thakur also faced a 72-hour ban for raising the slogan of "desh ke in gaddaro" during a poll rally in Delhi. The gathering of BJP workers and supporters had responded to his slogan by chanting, "Goli maaro ***** ko".
The "terrorist" jibe was also levelled by Verma against Arvind Kejriwal. The AAP had moved an official complaint before the Election Commission, seeking an FIR against the BJP lawmaker. The polling body on Wednesday decided to ban Verma from the remainder of his campaign for the remarks.
Shaheen Bagh, where the women-led indefinite stir against CAA and proposed nationwide NRC is currently underway, also turned into a top poll issue. BJP veteran and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, while accusing Kejriwal of backing the protesters who have laid siege on an arterial road, said the results of Delhi elections would reveal whether voters are backing the Shaheen Bagh protesters or the children of "Bharat Mata".
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 06, 2020 06:29 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).