EC asks Gujarat CEO to probe AAP's allegation of Surat candidate's 'kidnapping'

New Delhi: A political row has triggered after Aam Aadmi Party's Surat East Assembly candidate Kanchan Jariwala withdrew his nomination from Gujarat Elections. The Election Commission on Wednesday asked the Gujarat chief electoral officer to inquire and take action "as warranted" into the allegations of the Aam Aadmi Party that its Surat (East) candidate was coerced into withdrawing from the poll fray. A four-member delegation of AAP led by Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia met the Commission officials this evening and handed over a representation after holding a protest outside the EC office here. AAP leaders Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia alleged that the BJP 'kidnapped' the AAP MP and pressured him to withdraw his nomination. 

AAP has demanded that the election process in the constituency be put on hold till an impartial inquiry is held into the matter.

AAP also alleged that Jariwala was abducted at the behest of the BJP, which "feared" defeat on the seat in the Gujarat assembly election. An EC spokesperson said AAP's representation has been sent to the CEO in Gujarat to inquire and take "action as warranted". Sisodia claimed that Jariwala was still "missing" and his life was in danger.

Delhi | Our candidate from Surat (East) from Gujarat, Kanchan Jariwala has just been brought to Returning Officer's office. He was circled by over 500 policemen & is now being pressured to take his nomination back: AAP leader Manish Sisodia https://t.co/BZjrlYhZZ2 pic.twitter.com/Bz6wXdF3pJ

— ANI (@ANI) November 16, 2022

However, Surat city BJP president Niranjan Zanzmera refuted the allegations and said the AAP should "take care of its own house."

Jariwala also issued a video statement in which he purportedly said he withdrew his nomination without any pressure and had followed his conscience after the people of his constituency labelled him "anti-national" and "anti-Gujarat" for contesting the election from AAP.

The AAP representation urged the poll panel not to accept Jariwala's application for withdrawal of the nomination, claiming it was obtained under 'threat and coercion'. Pressing for an inquiry, Sisodia demanded that if the BJP is found complicit, the election in the assembly seat should be rescheduled.

The BJP first tried to get the nomination rejected by putting frivolous objections and tried to influence the proposers of the candidate by threat and coercion to backtrack their signatures on the nomination papers of AAP candidate, Sisodia alleged while speaking to reporters.

Elections to the 182-member Gujarat Assembly will be held in two phases on December 1 and 5 and the counting of votes will be on December 8.
Voting in Surat (East) seat will be held in the first phase.

(With ANI inputs)