Aam Aadmi Party accused BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla of “abusing” AAP’s Purvanchal leader and sitting MLA Rituraj Jha.
| Photo Credit: ANI

Politics over Purvanchali voters continued to play out in the national capital, with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Wednesday accusing BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla of “abusing” AAP’s Purvanchal leader and sitting MLA Rituraj Jha during a television debate.

AAP said it will protest across the city on Thursday (January 16, 2025) against the “attack” on people with roots in Purvanchal region.

Purvanchali is a term used for residents of eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar and those hailing from there in the Capital.

Both AAP and the BJP have been accusing each other of disrespecting people from Purvanchal, who have a significant presence in Delhi.

BJP MP Manoj Tiwari, a popular face from the region, issued a video statement asking Mr. Poonawalla to tender an apology. “However, will the ones [AAP] who called people from Purvanchal ‘fake voters’ also do the same? Will you [AAP] ask (party chief) Arvind Kejriwal to apologise for calling people from Purvanchal fake voters,” asked Mr. Tiwari.

Taking on the BJP, AAP’s Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Singh said, “Our MLA, Rituraj Jha, was abused on a national television channel by a BJP spokesperson. This was not done behind closed doors but openly on national TV, in front of the entire country and the world.” He added, “AAP will hold a massive demonstration across the city tomorrow (Thursday).”