Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Anurag Thakur has fiercely criticized Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal after the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) released a controversial poster. The poster, shared on AAP’s social media, portrayed leaders of various opposition parties, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Congress Leader Rahul Gandhi, and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, as “dishonest.” In contrast, the poster prominently featured Kejriwal, emphasizing his supposed honesty and labeling him as the beacon of integrity. The slogan read: “Kejriwal’s honesty will prevail over all the dishonest people.”
Anurag Thakur, who was also featured in the AAP poster, didn’t hold back in his criticism. He questioned why Delhi CM Atishi, a prominent AAP leader, was excluded from the poster and accused Kejriwal of being indifferent towards women. Thakur further attacked Kejriwal for his involvement in the liquor scam, which led to the arrest of several AAP ministers, MLAs, and MPs. Thakur claimed that Kejriwal’s actions disqualified him from presenting himself as the face of honesty, arguing that the people of Delhi would not elect someone they believed to be corrupt. “The biggest dishonest person in Delhi is Kejriwal, who considers himself ‘Delhi ka Shehensha’,” Thakur added.
This political exchange did not stop with the BJP. Congress also took issue with Kejriwal’s actions. Congress leader Alka Lamba criticized Kejriwal for insulting former Prime Ministers Sheila Dikshit and Manmohan Singh. She pointed out that, despite his current admiration for Singh, Kejriwal had previously mocked him and his legacy. Lamba demanded an apology, especially for the disrespect shown to Dr. Singh’s wife, and reminded Kejriwal of his earlier desperate attempts to form an alliance with Congress during the Lok Sabha elections.
The political battle over the poster has intensified just ahead of the Delhi Assembly elections, which are scheduled for February 5, 2025. As votes are counted on February 8, the rhetoric surrounding honesty, integrity, and political alliances is expected to dominate the final stretch of the election campaign. Kejriwal’s poster may have added fuel to an already heated political climate, with BJP and Congress both accusing AAP of crossing the line in its attempts to discredit opposition leaders. The fallout from this poster could have lasting effects on the image of the AAP leadership as Delhi voters head to the polls.