BJP MP Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma put out a video on Twitter even as voting was underway in Delhi. (Express photo by Anil Sharma) BJP MP Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma put out a video on Twitter even as voting was underway in Delhi. (Express photo by Anil Sharma)

BJP’s controversial lawmaker Parvesh Verma, who was penalised twice by the Election Commission twice for violating model code of conduct, on Saturday alleged that Shaheen Bagh protesters were voting for the Aam Aadmi Party in the Delhi Assembly elections because they felt “indebted to them” for biryani.

In the 82-second video on Twitter, Verma said, “Media channels are saying the same thing that I’ve been saying since so many days. People belonging to a certain community, are forming long queues in Shaheen Bagh, Seelampur and Jamia Millia Islamia and shouting slogans in favour of Aam Aadmi Party. Why won’t they vote for AAP? The party has been feeding them biryani and funding them. People over there are doing so because they are indebted to AAP.”

Invoking Shaheen Bagh, which has been the ground zero for protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act, Verma urged “deshbhakts” (patriots) to turn up at polling booths and show support. “I want to tell the people of Delhi, that you are also indebted to the country, to those who sacrificed their lives for this country. If you are deshbhakts (patriot), also come out in large numbers, form long queues and shout slogans like, “Hum Rashtrabhakt party ko vote denge (we will vote for patriotic party)” and ‘Jai Shri Ram’.”

EXPLAINED: Verma removed from list of star campaigners, what this means

An hour before exit polls, Verma put out his predictions for February 11 results, claiming that BJP would bag at least 50 seats, 16 for AAP and 4 seats for Congress.

The BJP MP was banned twice from campaigning in the Delhi elections by the polling authorities, the first time for 96 hours for claiming that protesters at Shaheen Bagh will “enter your houses, rape your sisters and daughters, kill them” and the second time for his “terrorist” jibe against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

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