AAP claims Gambhir hired 'duplicate' for campaigning, BJP rubbishes charge

The Delhi's ruling AAP on Friday alleged that BJP's East Delhi candidate Gautam Gambhir had used a lookalike during a roadshow to save himself from scorching heat, a charge rubbished by the saffron party.

The image was tweeted by @ArnazHathiram and was also shared by AAP leaders.

NEW DELHI: The Delhi's ruling AAP on Friday alleged that BJP's East Delhi candidate Gautam Gambhir had used a lookalike during a roadshow to save himself from scorching heat, a charge rubbished by the saffron party. Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said the incident is an example of the "mahamilwat" between Congress and BJP. Tweeting a picture of Gambhir sitting inside a car, Sisodia said: "Gambhir is sitting inside an AC car due to scorching heat, while his lookalike who is a Congress leader is campaigning on his behalf." In a video, AAP spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj asked what was cooking between the BJP and the Congress. In the clip, Bhardwaj can be seen wearing a cap and dark sunglasses to show how the lookalike could fool the people from a distance.

गौतम गंभीर का डुप्लीकेट गौरव अरोड़ा है, जो कि कांग्रेस का 2017 MCD चुनाव का वार्ड 96N से उम्मीदवार था तो सवाल ये है कि कांग्रेस और अजय माकन बीजेपी की क्यों मदद करना चाहते है ? क्या डील हुई है? pic.twitter.com/wzbz3cuKmn

— Durgesh Pathak (@ipathak25) May 10, 2019

BJP Loksabha Incharge for East Delhi Rajiv Babbar said it is very sad that a particular political party which has lost connect with the people of Delhi, tries to create controversy around Gambhir every other day. "In this series of spreading misinformation they today said that a party worker campaigned in place of Gautam Gambhir which is absolutely false," he said. Babbar said that for 10 to 15 minutes during the campaign, Gambhir felt giddy due to heat, and sat on the front seat of the campaign vehicle. Meanwhile, party workers atop the vehicle kept waving at people. "Waving of hands by workers atop campaign vehicles is a normal practice. Had Gautam Gambhir not been inside the vehicle we could have considered it wrong but in present case when he was visible for all to see, the BJP feels its just one more controversy by opponents," he claimed. The man in the cap is identified as Gaurav Arora, who has been accompanying Gambhir during electioneering since the BJP candidate began his campaign for the East Delhi seat. Aroa was also seen in photos and posters with Congress candidate from New Delhi seat Ajay Maken. In East Delhi, Gambhir is pitted against AAP's Atishi and Congress candidate Arvinder Singh Lovely. The seven-phase Lok Sabha elections started on April 11 and would conclude on May 19. Counting of votes will take place on May 23. So far, voting has been completed for five of the seven phases. Polling was held on Monday for 51 Lok Sabha seats spread across seven states in the fifth phase. In the first four phases, election was held to 91, 96, 117 and 72 seats on April 11, April 18, April 23, April 29 respectively. Polling for the sixth phase will be held on May 12. (With inputs from PTI)