The Delhi Assembly elections are set for February 5...
On Tuesday congress leader Ajay Maken hit out at Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal over allegations regarding Delhi's water supply, saying that if the former Delhi chief minister ‘is lying’, it is "treason."
The former union minister wants the statements made by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Haryana and Kejriwal to be investigated
"If Arvind Kejriwal is lying about mixing poison in the water, it is treason. If the Haryana government is wrong, action should be taken. If Arvind Kejriwal is spreading rumours, action should be taken against him," Maken said in a press conference.
Maken's remarks came in response to Kejriwal's statement on Monday, in which he alleged that Delhi's water supply had been "poisoned" and accused the Haryana government of planning a "genocide" against Delhi residents.
The recent remarks have sparked controversy in the national capital and neighboring Haryana, where Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini has threatened legal action against AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal. Meanwhile, the CEO of the Delhi Jal Board has written to the chief secretary, stating that Kejriwal's claims are "factually incorrect" and "baseless."
Amid this political tension, senior Congress leader Ajay Maken has commented on the support extended to Kejriwal and AAP by Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav and other INDIA bloc allies ahead of the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections.
Maken urged these parties to acknowledge that Congress is the only force capable of challenging the BJP and cautioned them against weakening the party.
Once a dominant force in Delhi, Congress ruled the capital for 15 years but suffered severe defeats in the last two assembly elections, failing to secure a single seat. In contrast, AAP emerged as the clear winner, securing 67 out of 70 seats in 2015 and 62 seats in 2020, while BJP managed only three and eight seats, respectively.
The Delhi Assembly elections are set for February 5, with vote counting scheduled for February 8. A total of 699 candidates are in the fray for 70 assembly seats across the capital.
The Brief. Sign up to receive the top stories you need to know right now.