AAP-BJP poster war turns ugly, Bedi puts Kejriwal on notice

AAP says it used the ex-cop’s photo in campaign afterBJP challenged it to replace Mukhi’s face with her’s

January 28, 2015 12:00 am | Updated 08:01 am IST

BJP’s CM candidate Kiran Bedi, party leader Satpal Maharaj and councillor Kalpana Jain during a jan sabha at Geeta Colony. Photo: PTI

BJP’s CM candidate Kiran Bedi, party leader Satpal Maharaj and councillor Kalpana Jain during a jan sabha at Geeta Colony. Photo: PTI

Bharatiya Janata Party’s chief ministerial candidate Kiran Bedi has sent a legal notice to AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal on being called an “opportunist” in the new AAP posters seen at the back of several auto-rickshaws plying in the city.

The new AAP posters, with photos of Ms. Bedi and Mr. Kejriwal, came up after the BJP leaders challenged the AAP to replace the photo of senior BJP leader Jagdish Mukhi with Ms. Bedi’s on its campaign materials.

The AAP made the change in its posters and added “imandar (honest)” below Mr. Kejriwal’s photo and “avsarvadi (opportunist)” under Ms. Bedi’s photo.

“It irked me. He (Kejriwal) is using my name without my permission. On the poster it says ‘honest’ under his (Kejriwal’s) name and ‘opportunist’ under mine. This is not acceptable,” Ms. Bedi told reporters here.

She warned that if the AAP does not remove the posters carrying her photos from the auto-rickshaws within 24 hours, legal action will be taken.

When asked about Ms. Bedi’s objection, AAP leader Yogendra Yadav said, “The BJP leaders egged us on to use her image in our campaign posters. But now that we are using her picture, they have started complaining.”

Delhi BJP chief Satish Upadhyay also confirmed that Ms. Bedi has sent a legal notice and has asked Mr. Kejriwal to reply to it. A delegation of BJP leaders led by Mr. Upadhyay also went to the Election Commission to complain about “repeated poll code violations” by Mr. Kejriwal.

“We have put forth several poll code violations committed by Mr. Kejriwal over the last week. We had earlier taken up the allegations he made against me. Further, the AAP is using opinion poll results and surveys for campaigning when opinion polls are strictly considered a violation of poll code,” he said.

The BJP also complained about Mr. Kejriwal urging people to “take money from the BJP and vote for the AAP” and said playing the sound track of the oath-taking ceremony on radio campaign is also a violation of the poll code. “The case of election expenditure of Mr. Kejriwal in 2013 is pending before the Election Commission. Decision should be taken on it immediately,” he added.

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