WAR OVER POSTER: AAP ASKS GUPTA FOR A BETTER PHOTO

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Wednesday told the state election commission that it had neither violated the model code of conduct by putting a picture of leader of opposition Vijender Gupta on its posters nor had it used a “distorted” photo as complained by the BJP leader.

In a written reply to the election body, Dilip Pandey, convener, AAP (Delhi), said the party was ready to replace Gupta’s picture if he provided one of his choice.

Pandey reminded Gupta of the pictures and cartoons of AAP leaders in the BJP’s campaign posters. He said the AAP had refrained from registering a complaint as it was a votary of a “healthy campaign” in democracy. Gupta had met State Election Commissioner SK Srivastava on Monday and lodged a complaint, seeking action against the ruling party in Delhi for putting up posters across the city.

“The posters show a smiling face of Kejriwal while depict me in a distorted and villainous way,” Gupta had said in his complaint, demanding removal of posters and action against AAP.

In a written communication to AAP state convener Dilip Pandey, the election body had asked the party to reply in 48 hours.

The party termed the complaint ‘politically motivated’ and an attempt to malign the AAP. “Gupta is a political figure and the picture used in the poster is easily available on the internet…Picture of Arvind Kejriwal and Vijnder Gupta has been used to make it easier for people to make a comparison between the ideologies and programmes they represent,” Pandey said in his written reply to the state election commission.