In a dramatic twist to AAP's claims that its Gujarat election candidate Kanchan Jariwala was kidnapped by the BJP, the leader has lashed out at his own party and accused workers of "harassing" him, ANI reported. Jariwala also maintained that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) did not kidnap him and he "went away with son's friends".
"Reason for withdrawing my nomination was that (AAP) workers in Surat (East) Assembly started resigning. The workers started demanding money. I am not capable enough to spend Rs 80 lakh to Rs 1 crore. Their demand was so much that I couldn't fulfil it," ANI quoted Jariwala as saying.
Earlier in the day, AAP alleged that Jariwala was "kidnapped" by BJP, dragged to an election office and forced at gunpoint to withdraw his nomination for next month's election.
READ | AAP Alleges Hooliganism By BJP As 'Missing' Candidate Returns, Withdraws Nomination
"There was a lot of pressure from the party. People were harassing me by calling again and again. I went away with my son's friends, there was no one from BJP. What I have to do now, I will tell after 5-7 days," he further said.
Jariwala also said he withdrew from the election by listening to his "conscience" as the people of his constituency labelled him "anti-national" and "anti-Gujarat" for contesting the election on an AAP ticket.
Earlier in the day, talking to reporters in New Delhi, AAP leader and Delhi deputy CM Manish Sisodia claimed Jariwala was missing along with his family members since Tuesday.
"In this election, the BJP is miserably losing in Gujarat and has become so rattled that it has stooped to the level of kidnapping our candidate from Surat East," Sisodia said.
"Fearing defeat, the BJP goons have kidnapped the AAP candidate from Surat, Kanchan Jariwala," he further said.
AAP Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chaddha posted a video claiming that Jariwala was "dragged" by "police and BJP goons" and forced to withdraw his nomination.
"Watch how police and BJP goons together - dragged our Surat East candidate Kanchan Jariwala to the RO office, forcing him to withdraw his nomination The term 'free and fair election' has become a joke!" he tweeted.
In the evening, a four-member delegation of AAP led by Sisodia met the Election Commission officials in Delhi and handed over a representation after holding a protest outside the EC office in Delhi. The poll watchdog asked the Gujarat Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) to inquire and take action "as warranted" into the allegations.
(With PTI inputs)