assembly-elections

Updated: Sep 08, 2020 15:32 IST

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday challenged the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to name its chief ministerial candidate and said he was ready for a debate with anyone it names.

The Aam Aadmi Party leader said the opposition party in Delhi must announce its candidate’s name by 1 pm on Wednesday and said if there is no name by then he would “hold another press conference”.

“The people of Delhi want the BJP to declare its CM candidate and I am ready to hold a debate with that CM candidate. The debate can be held at any place, whichever place they choose,” Arvind Kejriwal said during a press conference to release the AAP’s manifesto.

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The AAP leader’s challenge comes ahead of the Delhi assembly elections scheduled to be held on February 8.

“The people want to know who is their CM face. They are saying if they don’t know who their chief ministerial candidate is, why should they vote for them? Amit Shah is saying that you vote for us and I will decide who the CM candidate is. In a democracy, it’s the people who decide who the CM candidate is,” he said.

Amit Shah is demanding a “blank cheque” from the people of Delhi by withholding the name of his party’s chief ministerial candidate, the AAP leader said.

“The people of Delhi are saying what if Amit Shah names someone uneducated and incompetent after they have voted for the BJP. That would be a betrayal of the people of Delhi,” Kejriwal said.

“So, we give them time till 1 pm tomorrow. If they declare their CM candidate by then, I am ready to debate with that person. We will work out the modalities. And, if they don’t declare the name, I will meet you at this place and there will be another press conference,” he said.

Kejriwal has been pressing the BJP to name its candidate for the top job in Delhi.

On Monday, the party had mocked the BJP over the issue on Twitter as it posted a picture of American wrestler and actor John Cena’s photograph. It also took a dig on the BJP by using Cena’s signature catchphrase “You can’t see me”.

“Finally we found the CM candidate of @BJP4Delhi. Its John Cena!!! Because you can’t see him. Kejriwal vs Kaun,” the AAP had tweeted.