Gambhir attacks Kejriwal over ‘dirty pamphlet’ row

New Delhi: In a scathing attack on chief minister Arvind Kejriwal over a ‘dirty pamphlet’ against AAP candidate (East Delhi) Atishi, newly elected Lok Sabha members and Gautam Gambhir, on Saturday, said that elections come and go but one cannot afford to lose one’s ‘conscience.’

Mr Gambhir, who defeated Ms Atishi, had been accused by AAP leaders of being involved in the distribution of obscene and derogatory pamphlets against her during election campaign.

The cricketer-turned- politician said: “I do not have any words for him (Kejriwal) if he can level such allegation just to win a seat. One can lose an election and move ahead but how can one face himself after losing his conscience? Elections will come and go, the day you lose your conscience you lose everything.”

Mr Gambhir was addressing media persons at the Delhi BJP office along with other newly elected party MPs from the national capital.

Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari, who defeated Congress candidate Sheila Dikshit, said that the party candidates participated in the elections with positivity which they derived from their leader and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Mr Tiwari said that he was “internally scared” as he was facing a three-time Delhi chief minister and Congress veteran in the polls.

Talking about the campaigning in Delhi, Mr Tiwari said he had to do a roadshow in South Delhi for party candidate Ramesh Bidhuri as “rumours” were being spread that Purvanchali voters were not supporting him.

Mr Bidhuri, who defeated AAP candidate Raghav Chadha from South Delhi, was not present at the press conference due to some court engagement. Meenakshi Lekhi, re-elected from the New Delhi seat, was also absent due to health issues. Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma, who won from West Delhi with the highest margin of 5,78,486 votes, said the winners have to live up to the expectations of the people after BJP’s spectacular victory.

The new MPs also asserted that BJP will come back to power in Delhi in the 2020 Assembly polls.

Dr Harsh Vardhan, who won from Chandni Chowk, said people were disillusioned with both AAP and Congress.

“The Lok Sabha poll results are the beginning of the end of AAP and its government in Delhi,” said Dr Vardhan, claiming that the party may disintegrate after a defeat in next year’s Assembly polls.

Punjabi singer Hans Raj Hans, who won the Northwest Delhi seat for BJP, Union minister Vijay Goel, Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly Vijender Gupta, and office bearers of Delhi BJP were also present there.

The BJP MPs thanked the people of Delhi for reposing their faith in the party and voting for them. They also expressed gratitude towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah for guidance and leadership during the elections.

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