‘Just hope Kejriwal doesn’t...’: Parvesh Verma throws challenge at AAP supremo as poll fight heats up 

Parvesh Verma, BJP’s candidate pick against AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal thanked his party for the opportunity and asserted that BJP will form the next government in the national capital. 

On contesting Delhi elections against AAP chief, BJP candidate from New Delhi assembly, Verma told ANI, “... I want to take all the people of Delhi to see Sheesh Mahal. I am writing a letter to CM Atishi to open the doors of Sheesh Mahal because the people of Delhi want to see what happened to the tax they paid... I am setting up a camp soon where I will give employment letters to many people here in New Delhi...” 

He also taunted his opponent saying, “I just hope Arvind Kejriwal doesn't run away from the New Delhi seat...”  

Verma, expressed gratitude to the top leadership of the party following the announcement of his candidature from the New Delhi assembly seat for the assembly polls expected to be held in February 2025. 

“I thank my party’s top leadership... I hope that the trust that the party has shown in me, I'll live up to it... When Delhi was facing Covid, when they needed Oxygen, Arvind Kejriwal Ji was distributing a ‘free bottle on every bottle’... There are many works in Delhi - like cleaning Yamuna, curbing pollution... when the BJP will form the govt, we will do all these works...,” he told ANI. 

Verma, a former MP and son of former Delhi CM Sahib Singh Verma, will be facing former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Congress leader and former Delhi CM Shiela Dikshit’s son Sandeep Dikshit in a three-cornered contest. 

The Election Commission is yet to announce the dates for the polls. 

Meanwhile, AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal has responded to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent speech by highlighting the achievements of AAP in Delhi, particularly in education, healthcare and housing. He criticised the BJP's slow housing projects and slum demolitions, challenging Modi to present tangible developments in the city instead of targeting the AAP government.

Modi launched BJP’s poll campaign with a fierce attack on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). Branding AAP as "Aapda" (disaster), the PM accused the party of governance failures and corruption, highlighting issues like the liquor scam, pollution mismanagement, and false claims about education reforms. He also taunted Arvind Kejriwal over the "Sheeshmahal" controversy while inaugurating 1,675 new flats under the 'Jaha Jhuggi Wahan Makaan' scheme.