AAP approaches EC to hold polling for Gujarat's Surat East; alleges BJP abducted Jariwala

On Wednesday, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia accompanied by his supporters met the Election Commission at the ECI office -- Nirvachan Sadan at Ashoka road in New Delhi.

According to the Election Commission of India (ECI), the AAP delegation led by senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia alleged coercion of a candidate from Surat East for withdrawing his candidature and being taken to an undisclosed location by BJP goons. 

Sisodia has urged the Chief Election Commissioner to hold the election process in Gujarat’s Surat East. He alleged that Surat East seat candidate Kanchan Jariwala was pressurised to take back his nomination on the withdrawal day i.e. today and tomorrow.

Demands by Manish Sisodia to ECI

• Conduct an inquiry to know who kidnapped AAP candidate Kanchan Jariwala.
• Hold the election process in Gujarat’s Surat East
• Re-schedule Gujarat elections if found traces of BJP's involvement 

Sisodia with other AAP supporters also raised slogans against BJP outside Nirvachan Sadan. 

AAP accuses BJP of kidnapping Kanchan Jariwala

Speaking to media persons outside the ECI office, Manish Sisodia levelled grave allegations against the ruling BJP for the forcible withdrawal of papers of his party’s Surat East candidate Kanchan Jariwala in Gujarat after kidnapping him. 

Manish Sisodia, while speaking to reporters, alleged, "BJP goons in Gujarat kidnapped AAP Surat East candidate Kanchan Jairwala and then forced him to withdraw his nomination by putting pressure on him. The candidate was determined to contest in the elections but was pressured by the police to withdraw his candidature.”

Earlier in the day, Manish Sisodia alleged, "BJP kidnapped our candidate from Surat (East) from Gujarat, Kanchan Jariwala. He was last seen at the RO office yesterday. They tried to get his nomination rejected.  Later, he was pressurised to withdraw his nomination. This raises questions on EC." Later, Manish Sisodia asserted that Kanchan Jariwala has just been brought to Returning Officer's office and said that he was circled by over 500 policemen.

Taking to Twitter, Sisodia said, "The candidate was kidnapped. His nomination was withdrawn at gunpoint. What can be a bigger emergency than this for the Election Commission?"

Notably, Gujarat will go to the polls on December 1 and 5 and the votes will be counted on December 8.