EC asks Gujarat CEO to inquire after AAP claims threat to candidate

New Delhi: The Election Commission on Wednesday asked the Gujarat chief electoral officer to inquire and take action "as warranted" after the Aam Aadmi Party alleged that its Surat (East) candidate was abducted and coerced by the BJP to withdraw from the poll fray. A four-member delegation of AAP led by Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia met the Commission officials Wednesday evening and handed over a representation after holding a protest outside the EC office here.

The BJP rejected the allegations with Union Minister Anurag Thakur accusing the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party of making false claims as a "cover-up" for the charges of corruption it was facing. Sisodia alleged AAP candidate from Surat (East) Kanchan Jariwala was forced to withdraw his nomination and abducted at the behest of the BJP which "feared" defeat on the seat in the Gujarat assembly election. The Delhi deputy chief minister demanded that the election process in the constituency be put on hold till an impartial inquiry is held into the matter.

An EC spokesperson said AAP's representation has been sent to the CEO in Gujarat to inquire and take "action as warranted." Sisodia claimed that Jariwala was still "missing" and his life was in danger.

However, Surat city BJP president Niranjan Zanzmera refuted the allegations and said the AAP should "take care of its own house."

Jariwala also issued a video statement in which he purportedly said he withdrew his nomination without any pressure and had followed his conscience after the people of his constituency labelled him "anti-national" and "anti-Gujarat" for contesting the election from AAP. The AAP representation urged the poll panel not to accept Jariwala's application for withdrawal of the nomination, claiming it was obtained under "threat and coercion."

Pressing for an inquiry, Sisodia demanded that if the BJP is found complicit, the election in the assembly seat should be rescheduled.

"The BJP first tried to get the nomination rejected by putting frivolous objections and tried to influence the proposers of the candidate by threat and coercion to backtrack their signatures on the nomination papers of AAP candidate," Sisodia alleged while speaking to reporters.

The returning officer of Surat (East), "in all his fairness", rejected the objections raised and accepted the nomination of AAP's Jariwala, he said.