"Withdrew At Gunpoint": Raghav Chadha On "Kidnapped" Gujarat AAP Candidate

Two weeks before Gujarat goes to vote, the Aam Aadmi Party candidate from Surat (East) was forced to withdraw his nomination "at gunpoint", party leader Raghav Chadha told NDTV on Wednesday.

Had Kanchan Jariwala been looking to pull out at the last minute, he would not have been campaigning till Monday evening, Mr Chadha said, adding that the video statement released by him had also been coerced out with threats to his family.

"He joined our party two years ago, he gave his blood, sweat tears. The party rewarded him by giving him a ticket. On the 14th of November, he filed his nomination from Surat (East). On the 15th, BJP raised objections and compelled him to withdraw his nomination," Mr Chadha said.

"He was abducted by BJP goons and taken to an undisclosed location. I along with my team tried to track him down all night. He was pushed, manhandled, and was compelled to withdraw his nomination under duress, at gunpoint. He was then handed back to the BJP goons by the police and then taken again to an undisclosed location," he said.

"He had been campaigning until the night of 14th November. The sound bite that he is giving (the video statement denying AAP's charges) is at gunpoint. The BJP has threatened his family, which is why he is withdrawing his nomination," Mr Chadha said.

"BJP today fears only one person, that is Arvind Kejriwal. They are now stooping to abducting, kidnapping and threatening. Within Gujarat, there is one fortress that BJP holds - Surat. And they are rattled by AAP's popularity there," he added.

The comments came as the Election Commission asked the Gujarat Chief Electoral Officer to inquire and act "as warranted" into the allegations that Mr Jariwala was forced into withdrawing from the elections.

A four-member delegation of AAP led by party leader and Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia met the Commission officials this evening and handed over a representation.

Mr Sisodia alleged that the AAP candidate was forced to withdraw his nomination when he went to the returning officer's office.

Mr Jariwala, however, issued a video statement in which he said that he withdrew his nomination without any pressure, listening to his conscience, after the people of his constituency labelled him "anti-national" and "anti-Gujarat" for contesting the election from the AAP.

An Election Commission spokesperson said AAP's representation has been sent to its top officer in Gujarat to inquire and take "action as warranted".

Mr Sisodia claimed Mr Jariwala had been missing along with his family members since Tuesday, adding that the last time the candidate was seen at the Election Commission's office in Surat during scrutiny of his nomination papers.

Mr Sisodia also hit out at the Gujarat Chief Electoral Officer and accused her of not taking appropriate action to "trace and rescue" Mr Jariwala.