'People will respond to Kejriwal's arrest by their...': AAP's Somnath Bharti slams BJP

Somnath Bharti, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate contesting from the New Delhi seat, on Saturday said that this election is critical for safeguarding democracy. Bharti asserted that the BJP-led government, ruling for the past decade, has significantly weakened the nation's democratic fabric.

In a video shared by PTI, Bharti highlighted the arrest of the three-time Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal as a stark example of the alleged authoritarian tendencies prevailing in the country. He accused the government of orchestrating Kejriwal's arrest without substantial evidence, describing it as a manifestation of dictatorship at its peak.

 "This time, elections are to protect democracy. There's no doubt that the 10-year-old BJP-led government has weakened the country. The country is witnessing how they arrested the three-time CM without any evidence and dictatorship is at its peak," Bharati said.

Bharti underlined the significance of the electorate's response to such actions, emphasizing that people must use their votes to counteract what he perceives as undemocratic practices. He urged voters to recognize the broader implications of Kejriwal's arrest and to consider its potential impact on the democratic principles enshrined in the country's governance.

"People will respond to the arrest of Arvind Kejriwal by their votes," the AAP candidate said.

Bharti stepped down from several positions on Friday. He resigned as the vice-chairman of the Delhi Jal Board, nominated member to the board of Delhi Development Authority, and non-official member to the board of visitors to Delhi Prisons. Bharti stated in letters to the heads of these departments that he intended to file his nomination on Saturday and wished to avoid giving opposition parties any reason to challenge his candidacy.

The Malviya Nagar MLA is competing against BJP's Bansuri Swaraj.

The Lok Sabha nomination process in Delhi is a contest between BJP, AAP, and Congress. Filing ends on May 6, scrutiny takes place on May 7, polling is scheduled for May 25, and counting will be on June 4.