Delhi News Highlights: ‘Not beneficial, blood will boil if you read,’ says Kejriwal after BJP releases second part of manifesto for Assembly polls

There is a story behind why elections in Delhi should become such a make-or-break battle for the contending parties even though it is not even a state.

It is certainly a make-or-break contest for Arvind Kejriwal. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener and former Chief Minister is the key figure around whom the February 5 election is revolving. Whether he wins or loses, he is the face of the elections, setting the poll narrative as others respond to it. If he becomes the CM for the fourth time, nationally he will be seen with new eyes. Barring Narendra Modi and Rahul Gandhi there is no other leader whose party is in power in two states.

The Delhi polls will show whether “AK” has been able to mend his image. The AAP has lost its “party with a difference” sheen over the years and the BJP is concentrating on the “Sheesh Mahal” and the liquor policy case — under which several AAP leaders, including Kejriwal,  went to jail — to question Kejriwal’s “aam admi” credentials and dent the clean image that he sported. Read More

The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked Delhi police to respond to a plea filed by former councillor and Delhi riots accused Tahir Hussain who has sought interim bail to campaign for the upcoming Delhi assembly polls.

A bench of Justices Pankaj Mithal and Ahsanuddin Amanullah asked the Delhi police counsel to come prepared and argue the matter on the next hearing.

"Suppose, tentatively, we feel persuaded that he makes out a case for regular bail, then why not we should give at least interim?" said the bench. -PTI

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convenor Arvind Kejriwal criticized BJP’s second part of the manifesto, accusing the party of planning to end free education, power, and water if they come to power.

In a press conference, Kejriwal stated “Both the Sankalp patrias issued by the BJP are not beneficial for the country…if you read them, your blood will boil.”

He warned that the BJP’s policies would severely impact household budgets.

Kejriwal also took a dig at the BJP, claiming they are more focused on targeting him with investigations and dharnas rather than addressing real issues, calling their nature “demonic.”

The BJP has released its second poll manifesto for Delhi on Tuesday, promising free education from KG to PG for needy students if voted to power.

Additionally, the party plans to introduce the Ambedkar stipend scheme, providing Rs 1,000 monthly to SC students in polytechnics and skill centers.

The manifesto also includes a proposal for Rs 10 lakh life insurance and Rs 5 lakh accident cover for domestic workers. Furthermore, “BJP to launch SIT probe into AAP govt ‘irregularities’, ‘scams’ if voted to power in Delhi,” says BJP MP Anurag Thakur.

Social worker Mahavir Baisoya, an independent candidate from Sriniwas Puri in the MCD elections, joined the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Tuesday along with 16 team members. Delhi CM Atishi and MP Sanjay Singh welcomed them at a press conference. Atishi lauded Baisoya's notable contributions during the Covid pandemic and expressed confidence in his ability to strengthen AAP's campaign for the February 5 assembly elections, according to PTI reports.

A Delhi court on Monday summoned Aam Aadmi Party’s Okhla MLA Amanatullah Khan for skipping summons sent to him by the Enforcement Directorate in relation to a Waqf Board money laundering case which pertains to alleged irregularities committed during Khan’s tenure as the chairman of the Delhi Waqf Board between 2016 and 2021.

Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM) Paras Dalal of Rouse Avenue Court directed Khan to appear before the court on February 18. “… prima facie offence under Section 208 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 is made out and there are sufficient grounds for proceeding under Section 227 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 against accused Amanatullah Khan,” the magistrate said.

ED arrested Khan last September for alleged illegal appointment of members to the Waqf board, causing a loss to the exchequer. The Central agency further alleged that Rs 36 crore was laundered into properties by Khan’s agents. Read

Delhi residents began their Tuesday amidst moderate fog and a ‘poor’ air quality index (AQI) of 289. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicts that foggy conditions will persist throughout the day. The temperature is expected to range between a minimum of 11°C and a maximum of 25°C.

With the Delhi Assembly elections just weeks away, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is preparing to release the second part of its manifesto on Tuesday. On Friday, the party unveiled the first phase of the ‘Sankalp Patra’ or manifesto, including a monthly allowance of Rs 2,500 for women, increased pensions for senior citizens, and Rs 5 meals.

Ahead of Republic Day celebrations in the capital, the Delhi Metro has beefed up the security checks across all metro stations. In a statement Monday, "In view of the enhanced security arrangements ahead of Republic Day January 26, the security checks for passengers have been further intensified by CISF across the Metro stations until January 27."

The statement also added: "This might result in queues at some metro stations especially during peak hours till this period. Therefore, passengers are advised to plan their journey accordingly and allow for some additional time for their commute during these days."

Metro also requested the passengers to cooperate with the security personnel during security checks.

The Delhi High Court on Monday sought the stand of police on the regular bail plea by AAP leader and Uttam Nagar MLA Naresh Balyan in a Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) case. "Issue notice. Let status report be filed before the next date of hearing," said Justice Vikas Mahajan.

Senior advocate Vikas Pahwa, appearing for the lawmaker, urged the court to release him on the grounds that assembly elections were approaching and his wife was contesting polls.

He was arrested in the MCOCA case on December 4, 2024, the day a trial court granted him bail in an alleged extortion case. On January 15, a trial court denied bail to Balyan.

Balyan was accused of being a "facilitator" in an organised crime syndicate.

Before the trial court, Delhi police opposed Balyan's bail plea, claiming the investigation was at a crucial stage in the case, and if granted bail, the accused could hamper the probe. (PTI)

Amid intensified election campaigns, poll officials received a complaint against AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal for allegedly distributing chairs and sweeping machines in his constituency. Officials in the New Delhi election office said that they will soon forward the complaint to Delhi Police for further action.

Former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councillor Tahir Hussain, who is an accused in the 2020 Delhi riots, has moved the Supreme Court seeking interim bail from January 20 to February 5 to campaign for the Delhi Assembly polls which he is contesting as an AIMIM candidate.

The case is expected to be taken up on Monday before a bench of Justices Pankaj Mithal and Ahsanuddin Amanullah.

Hussain, who joined the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) last month, has challenged the Delhi High Court verdict of January 14 as per which he was refused interim bail and was instead granted custody parole for the purpose of filing his nomination papers. His papers were accepted following scrutiny on January 18. Read more

Hitting out at BJP candidate Parvesh Verma, AAP leader and Delhi Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj claimed that Verma's income has spiked significantly. During a press conference on Monday, Bhardwaj said, "They are risking everything for one poster boy of BJP - Pravesh Verma...Verma's income spiked significantly and foreign universities will contact him to know ways to increase properties." Bhardwaj claimed that Verma has moveable and immovable assets worth between Rs 12.3 crore to Rs 19.1 crore.

Congress leader Sachin Pilot said the people of the Capital are suffering in the battle for supremacy between the AAP-led city government and the BJP-led central government, and that his party has emerged as the “better option”.

Hello and welcome to Delhi News Live blog! In poll-bound Delhi, campaigns have intensified and party leaders have been trading barbs against each other. AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal will address a press conference today.