Delhi Assembly Elections 2025 | Kejriwal says voting for BJP akin to 'suicide' for slum dwellers; saffron party hits back with 'comedian' jibe

New Delhi: After locking horns over 'Purvanchali' voters, AAP and BJP are now at war over slums, with Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday accusing his political rivals of treating residents as “insects” while planning to evict residents to hand over land to its “one friend". The saffron party hit back saying he should be given the "comedian of the year" award.

Kejriwal also said he was willing to quit the election if the BJP is willing to promise slum dwellers that they will get houses at the same location where their slums stood and if they do not, he will fight to ensure that they get their dwellings.

The war of words intensified after Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday evening addressed a 'Jhuggi Basti Pradhan Sammelan' here claiming that the AAP betrayed slum dwellers by forcing them to live in pathetic living conditions with dirty water supply, heaps of garbage and lack of basic amenities like toilets.

On Sunday morning, Kejriwal went to a slum in Shakur Basti and held a press conference alleging that a vote for the BJP would be akin to slum dwellers signing their on "suicide note". He claimed that this slum is to be demolished soon, as the BJP-led Union government floated a tender for its land development in September last year.

He alleged that the BJP will demolish all slums in Delhi in one year if they are voted to power in the February 5 Assembly elections. "They [BJP] treat you like insects. They want your votes first and your land after the elections," Kejriwal said.

Claiming that the BJP promised to provide houses at the location of their slums, he said in apparent reference to industrialist Gautam Adani, "They say houses at the same location. Now they do not say the houses are for you. Their eyes are on your land to give it to their friends. They have only one friend and the world knows who it is."

Asked about Kejriwal's comments, senior minister and BJP leader Hardeep Puri said Kejriwal should be given the 'comedian of the year' award in general category and gestured that he has lost his mental balance. "These days he is giving statements on our behalf. The truth has bent down to tie the shoelaces and Kejriwal and his lies have done three world trips," he said.

Kejriwal said the Narendra Modi government has constructed only around 4,700 flats for slum dwellers in the capital and at this rate, it would take at least 1,000 years to provide slum dwellers with proper shelter.

He said 15 days ago, the Lieutenant Governor changed the land use of the location at which he was standing, though the BJP is making tall promises. "The BJP is shameless and cheating slum dwellers...If you give vote for the BJP, you are signing your suicide note." he added.