Gandhinagar, April 3 (NationPress) Tensions rose in Gujarat on Friday as the state branch of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) dismissed accusations from Arvind Kejriwal, the national convener of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). The BJP characterized his claims in a letter to Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel as a tactic to mislead voters ahead of local elections.

During a press briefing at the party headquarters in Gandhinagar, state BJP co-spokesperson and Valsad MP Dhaval Patel denounced the letter from “imported leaders from Delhi” as “a fruitless effort to sow confusion among the populace.”

Kejriwal alleged in his correspondence that there has been a crackdown on AAP members in Gujarat, citing over 160 arrests and approximately 145 FIRs filed in recent months.

He requested a meeting with the Chief Minister, expressing a desire to discuss the alleged actions against AAP workers in the lead-up to the elections alongside Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.

Patel responded to these allegations by stating, “As we near local elections, such letters are being weaponized to fabricate a false narrative. The political theatrics and victimization attempts from this anarchist party will not resonate with the people of Gujarat.”

He noted that between 2025 and 2026, “around 242 individuals associated with this party have been implicated in Gujarat in 24 serious offenses, including attempt to murder, rioting, and assault, in addition to 39 general offenses.”

Furthermore, Patel remarked that in many instances, charges have been filed against out-of-state leaders as well.

“Whether in Delhi, Punjab, or Goa, creating political drama during elections has been their modus operandi. Their history includes orchestrating incidents of having ink or shoes hurled at them to play the victim, often revealing later that these acts were staged by their own supporters,” he claimed.

He raised questions about the opposition's assertions, asking, “Should such offenders escape accountability from Gujarat Police and the government? Is the rule of law not applicable to this party?”

Patel further asserted, “If any member of any political party engages in criminal behavior, Gujarat Police will take action against them.”

Additionally, he accused AAP leaders of previously attacking BJP offices, breaching prohibition laws, and committing acts such as throwing shoes at a former state Home Minister.

He concluded by stating that a party that supports activist Medha Patkar will not gain acceptance among the public in Gujarat. “The citizens of Gujarat have relied on BJP's principles of development and peace for the past three decades and will continue to do so,” he added, predicting a “total defeat” for the opposition in the upcoming local elections while the BJP expects a significant triumph.