Manish Sisodia says 'kidnapped Gujarat AAP candidate found, alleges 'being pressurised to withdraw candidature'

Aam Aadmi Party leader and Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Wednesday alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) "kidnapped" the party's candidate from Gujarat's Surat (East) while also accusing the ruling party of trying to "get his nomination rejected".

Sisodia alleged that the BJP was pressuring the AAP candidate from the Kanchan Jariwala assembly seat to "withdraw" his nomination.

However, minutes after levelling the allegations against the BJP, the AAP leader said that the party's candidate was found and brought to the Returning Officer's office.

"The goons of BJP have kidnapped our candidate from Surat (East) from Gujarat, Kanchan Jariwala due to fear of loss. His phone is switched off since yesterday. His family is missing. He was last seen at the RO office yesterday where he had gone for the scrutiny of his nomination. They tried to get his nomination rejected. Later, he was pressurised to withdraw his nomination," Sisodia alleged while addressing a press conference, adding that this raises questions on the Election Commission (EC).

"Where is the effectiveness of EC?" he added.

Later speaking to the reporters, he said that the candidate who he earlier claimed to have been "kidnapped" was brought to the Returning Officer's office circled by over 500 policemen.

"Our candidate from Surat (East) from Gujarat, Kanchan Jariwala has just been brought to Returning Officer's office. He was circled by over 500 policemen and is now being pressured to take his nomination back," he said.

Sisodia alleged that Jariwala is being made to withdraw his nomination at "gunpoint".

"I want to tell the EC that democracy is being looted openly. Why is there a hoax in the name of the election? I am going to the EC office now. The machinery is being misused openly. The work that the BJP goons could not do is being made to take place with the help of the police. He is being made to withdraw his nomination at gunpoint," he alleged.

The Assembly elections in Gujarat are all set to take place on December 1 and 5, while the counting of votes will take place on December 8.

(ANI)

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