NewDelhi: In the aggressive political battle for Delhi, Arvind Kejriwal and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) have set their sights on Parvesh Verma, a former BJP MP. On Wednesday, Verma encountered charges of handing out cash with votes, a claim that stirred controversy and caught attention on social media.
Accusations and Responses
Kejriwal confronted Verma about trying to bribe female voters by giving out cash, claiming that video proof of these acts has circulated widely. In reply, Verma justified his actions by saying that he was just providing assistance to the residents. The Delhi BJP fully supported Verma, with the state president, Virendra Sachdeva, stating that Kejriwal’s accusations were a result of his fear during elections.
This conversation makes one wonder why Verma is targeted by Kejriwal and AAP, particularly as the Delhi state elections are on the horizon.
Parvesh Verma’s Political Career
Parvesh Verma, the son of former Delhi Chief Minister Sahib Singh Verma, began his political career in 2008. He first entered the Delhi Assembly in 2013 from the Mehrauli constituency and later won a seat in the Lok Sabha from West Delhi in 2014, defeating Congress candidate Mahabal Mishra by a substantial margin. He was re-elected in 2019, but he was not given a ticket for the 2024 elections, which led him to focus more on local politics.
At the moment, there are rumours that Verma will run for the New Delhi Assembly seat, where Kejriwal is also seeking re-election. Verma is a member of the Jat community, which comprises approximately 8% of Delhi’s population and has a major say in various assembly seats.
The Influence of Community and Prior Scandals
Sahib Singh Verma has a large follower base among the Jat society. After the death of Sahib Singh Verma in 2007, Parvesh was the one who strived to keep the political legacy alive. However, in the aftermath of being denied a ticket for the 2009 elections, the Jat community insisted that the BJP take more responsibility for their actions. Despite this failure, Parvesh stayed away from a later mahapanchayat that was supposed to pressurise the party.
A hot-headed Hindu leader, Verma earned fame during the CAA protests in 2019 for his provocative statements. In 2022, he called for a ban on companies related to a certain community, further polarising the people.
This year, a video of Verma arguing with a water department official over pollution in the Yamuna went viral, showing how confrontational he is.
With the Delhi Assembly elections drawing near and the political arena heating up, the Parvesh Verma allegations are indeed anticipated to play a significant role in the voters’ views. With both AAP and BJP stepping up their campaigns, all is set to watch how this story will develop in the nearest future.