New Delhi:
Arvind Kejriwal of the Aam Aadmi Party says he plans to take the Election Commission to court after the Delhi polls. He says he does not agree with the poll panel, which has issued a warning to him for telling voters to take bribes on behalf of rivals Congress and the BJP, but to vote for him.
"I respect the panel but we will challenge them in the High Court after the elections,'' Mr Kejriwal told NDTV in an exclusive interview today. The AAP leader has continued to say this to voters at his election rallies despite the Election Commission sending him a notice.
"I didn't tell the voters to take the bribe and vote for them, so there's no quid pro quo? It's a very serious issue, money for vote and my telling people had reduced the problem to some extent in the last elections,'' Mr Kejriwal said, adding, "When I said it last time, no one complained. This time, they know they are doing badly, and that's why they are all going to the EC.''
Arvind Kejriwal had resigned as Delhi Chief Minister in February last year after 49 days in office. Elections are being held next month because no party could gather the support of enough MLAs to make the halfway mark in the 70-seat Assembly.
The last elections 13 months ago had thrown up a hung house. AAP had won 28 seats, the BJP 31 and the Congress was decimated, winning only eight seats.
Mr Kejriwal is again being projected by his party as its presumptive Chief Minister. AAP has asked Delhi to give it a majority so that Mr Kejriwal can serve a full tenure as CM.
Elections will be held in Delhi on February 7 and counting of votes will be held on February 10.