Now Congress says it's in touch with 7 AAP MLAs, after BJP claims 8: Sources

As the polling day in Delhi nears and the campaign for the polls heats up, Congress party, which is eyeing a comeback in the national capital, has claimed that seven MLAs of Arvind Kejriwal are in talks with them. This comes after BJP claimed that 8 of AAP MLAs are in talks with them. 

The development comes after AAP faced a big blow on Wednesday when several members from the party joined the BJP in the presence of Union Minister Prakash Javadekar, Vijay Goel, and founding member of AAP Shazia Ilmi. Addressing a press briefing, Ilmi welcomed the members and said that they were there with the BJP during the agitation led by Anna Hazare. 

'We'll win 67!': AAP promises 2015 repeat, throws down gauntlet to BJP before Delhi polls

AAP began a massive Twitter campaign even before dates of the assembly polls were announced. It has come up with 2-minute, 52-second campaign song titled "Lage Raho Kejriwal". The song has been created by music composer Vishal Dadlani and encompasses around AAP's poll slogan - "Acche Beete Paanch Saal, Lage Raho Kejriwal". It has also launched a scathing dig on the Opposition as the BJP and Congress who are yet to announce their CM candidate for the elections. The party tweeted a picture of Arvind Kejriwal juxtaposed with a white background, and the caption read, "Kejriwal vs Who?"

One such attack, however, irked the BJP and the saffron party complained to the EC and sent a 500 crore defamation notice to AAP. AAP had posted a video of Manoj Tiwari dancing on the song "Lage Raho Kejriwal."

BIG: Prashant Kishor roped in by Kejriwal for his re-election bid in 2020, against BJP

Delhi Assembly Elections

The Election Commission announced that Delhi will go to polls in a single-phase on February 8 and the counting of votes will take place on February 11. The last day of filing nominations for the candidates will be on January 21 and the last day to withdraw nominations will be for January 24. 

The BJP and Congress are yet to name their Chief Ministerial faces. For the BJP, names such as Manoj Tiwari, Hardeep Puri and Harsh Vardhan have been touted, though Amit Shah has stated in the absence of a formal name that the BJP would contest under PM Modi's leadership. The ruling AAP is contesting the election with Kejriwal leading them. 

Delhi BJP sends defamation notice to AAP seeking Rs. 500 cr over Manoj Tiwari spoof video

In what is the major highlight of the Delhi elections scheduled next year is Prashant Kishor's team working with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. While poll strategist Prashant Kishor and his team I-PAC is strategizing his re-election for the next term with a target of "Abki baar 67 paar"(This time we will cross 67), BJP, which has not held the Delhi Assembly since 1998, has strongly hinted towards Manoj Tiwari being its CM candidate.

Kejriwal's AAP had bagged 67 out of the 70 seats of the Delhi Assembly in the last elections. In the past six months, he has rolled out many schemes and has claimed that his party is the only party to fulfil all manifesto promises. BJP has dismissed his claims and called his schemes a freebie before elections. 

'Lage Raho Kejriwal' croons latest AAP Delhi polls campaign song, after 'Kejriwal' parody