Arvind Kejriwal had described the polls in Goa and Punjab as "dharma-yuddha".
Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal today denied allegations of promoting bribery in his rallies in the poll-bound states of Punjab and Goa. This comes a day after the
Election Commission issued a notice to the Delhi Chief Minister for supposedly urging voters to accept money from the other parties but vote for the AAP and breaching the moral code of conduct. The EC had warned Mr Kejriwal of strict action should he fail to explain his remarks by Wednesday afternoon.
At a public rally in Benaulim in Goa earlier this month, Mr Kejriwal said, "If Congress or BJP candidates offer money, do not refuse it. Accept it as your own money. But when it comes to voting, press the button against the name of the AAP candidate." He further described the assembly polls in Punjab and Goa as a
"dharma-yuddha".
Mr Kejriwal said that similar allegations had been levelled against him in the past, during the 2015 Delhi elections, and the court had ruled in his favour.
The AAP chief further alleged that the Congress and the Shiromani Akali Dal were in cohorts in Punjab after Amarinder Singh
decided to contest the Lambi constituency - along with his traditional Patiala Urban constituency - against incumbent Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.
"Our candidate Jarnail Singh's campaign was going great in Lambi. So, Badal requested Amarinder to contest from Lambi so that the anti-Akali votes will get split," Mr Kejriwal accused.
"Until now, the Akalis used to field weak candidates against the Congress leaders and vice-versa. For the first time, the AAP has fielded its senior leadership against the Akalis," he further added.
The Delhi Chief Minister also took a shot at former cricketer and BJP lawmaker Navjot Singh Sidhu, who snubbed the AAP and
joined the Congress. Mr Kejriwal said that the ex-cricketer will make no difference in the polls.
"Sidhu has lost all significance," said Mr Kejriwal.
Mr Kejriwal also claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not settle the dispute over the Sutlej-Yamuna Link canal issue between Punjab and Haryana for political reasons.
The assembly polls in Goa and Punjab have been scheduled for February 4.
(with inputs from Agencies)