Delhi assembly election: Narayan Dutt Sharma, BSP candidate from Badarpur, attacked by unidentified men; Mayawati demands action

NEW DELHI: BSP candidate from Badarpur Narayan Dutt Sharma was allegedly attacked by some unidentified men late on Wednesday. Sharma alleged that at least 8-10 men, who came in a vehicle, attacked him while he was returning from a public meeting.

"I was injured due to shards of glass. I suspect that people against whom I'm fighting the election, are behind this," Sharma said.

BSP chief Mayawati has condemned the attack on her party candidate and demanded strict action against the culprits. 

1.दिल्ली विधानसभा आमचुनाव में बी.एस.पी. के बदरपुर से प्रत्याशी
श्री नारायण दत्त शर्मा पर कल रात में किया गया जानलेवा हमला अति
निन्दनीय व अति शर्मनाक

— Mayawati (@Mayawati) February 6, 2020

In a series of tweets, the BSP supremo urged the poll panel to take note of the incident and initiate necessary action. She also appealed to the BSP supporters to vote in favour of Sharma in the coming assembly election in Delhi. 

2. मुख्य चुनाव आयोग व पुलिस प्रशासन को इसका तुरन्त गम्भीरता से
संज्ञान लेना चाहिये। तथा दोषियों के विरूद्ध सख्त कानूनी कार्यवाही भी
करनी चाहिये। बी.एस.पी. की यह मांग है।

— Mayawati (@Mayawati) February 6, 2020

A heavy police force has been deployed in the area and Sharma's security has been beefed up. He has also been taken to hospital for treatment.  

It may be noted that Sharma had recently quit the Aam Aadmi Party after he was denied ticket to contest the assembly election in Delhi.

He was then fielded by the BSP from the Badarpur constituency.

The AAP had released its list of 70 candidates on January 14, which didn’t feature Sharma. Instead, Delhi's ruling party fielded Ram Singh Netaji, a former MLA of the Congress party, who switched to AAP recently, from Badarpur seat.

Ram Singh Netaji had won the Assembly elections in 2008 from Badarpur on a BSP ticket. BSP had won two seats in the 2008 assembly elections. However, in subsequent elections, the party was not able to win a single seat.

The campaigning for Delhi assembly election will come to an end on Thursday. Voting for 70-seat Delhi assembly will be held on February 8 and counting will take place on February 11.

The main contest here is between Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP and the BJP.