Raghav Chaddha dares BJP to fight Delhi Mayoral polls directly

New Delhi, Dec 24 (IANS) Accusing the BJP of 'fielding' an independent candidate for MCD mayoral election, the Aam Aadmi Party on Saturday dared the saffron party to contest the polls directly.

AAP leader Raghav Chadha said that the BJP must fight the mayoral election themselves, what is the point of hiding behind an independent candidate like a coward?

"The BJP had announced that it will not contest the mayoral election, but is now fielding an independent candidate, who will be supported by all BJP councillors. It does not suit BJP to contest elections from the backdoor...," said Chadha addressing the media.

Rajya Sabha MP Chadha said that the BJP should come forward and contest the election, the people of Delhi will decide who will be the mayor of MCD.

The public threw BJP out of Delhi's political rings in MCD elections, it neither has any significance in the Delhi assembly nor in the municipal corporation, he said.

"Joblessness is at its peak in Delhi BJP, their leaders now looking for jobs on naukri.com," he said, adding that after the results for the MCD elections were declared, and because they had lost and not reached the majority mark, the BJP had later announced that they would not fight the election for the post of the Mayor of the MCD.

"But now we are getting to hear from the opposition camp that the BJP has decided to support an Independent candidate for the post of the Mayor. All the BJP candidates are going to support this Independent candidate for the election of the Mayor and basically try and challenge the Aam Aadmi Party candidate. I welcome this decision of the BJP, but at the same time I also want to give them a little bit of advice."

He said, "Everyone and every party has the right to fight an election. Now it is their decision whether they want to come out onto the battlefield and directly face the challenger and fight, or whether they want to enter the battlefield through the backdoor using an Independent candidate".

"But I would like to ask them a question? Why do they fear AAP so much? If they really want to fight the election to the post of the Mayor, then come forward and do it. Why try and fight the election through a backdoor candidate," asked Chadha addressing the media.