Delhi Assembly Election 2025 LIVE: Manish Sisodia ran away from seat as he was architect of liquor scam with Kejriwal, says Rahul Gandhi

Amit Shah says Delhi CM Atishi should also be asked for report on ‘mixing of poison’ by Haryana government in Yamuna water

LoP in the Lok Sabha and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi with party candidate Anil Chaudhary during a rally for the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections, at Patparganj in New Delhi on Tuesday, January 28, 2025. | Photo Credit: PTI

• January 28, 2025 19:00

  Spread love, fight hate: Rahul Gandhi at Patparganj rally

  Addressing a rally at Patparganj, Rahul Gandhi says, “For future of the country, we have to spread love and fight against hatred.”

  - PTI

• January 28, 2025 18:53

  When the poor needed him, he vanished: Rahul Gandhi takes jab at Kejriwal

  Addressing a rally at Patparganj, Rahul Gandhi says, “We don’t want a ‘Hindustan’ of fear and hatred, but one of love and unity. Meanwhile, the RSS and BJP stir divisions between brothers, religions, and castes. And then there’s Kejriwal, who says whatever comes to his mind. When he first appeared, he promised a new kind of politics, but when the poor needed him, he vanished. During Delhi’s violence, he was nowhere. He promised clean politics, yet the biggest liquor scam unfolded under his rule. Narendra Modi ji threw me out of my house, and I gave him the keys, saying, ‘Take it, I don’t need it.’ But Kejriwal lives in a ‘Sheesh Mahal’.”

  - PTI

• January 28, 2025 18:45

  Jal Board responded that he is lying: Amit Shah responding to Kejriwal accusing BJP of poisoning Yamuna Kalkaji constituency rally

  Addressing the rally at Kalkaji, Amit Shah says, “Yesterday, I took a dip at Maha Kumbh. When I came back, I got to know about Arvind Kejriwal’s remark, saying that Haryana has put poison in Yamuna water coming here. We asked for a report on this, Jal Board responded that he is lying and nothing as such is happening. I want to ask Kejriwal Ji if he has any report on this, then he should release it and we will take responsibility for it. Secondly, what kind of poison has been put in? Thirdly, he should release the order that was given to stop the water supply.”

  - PTI

• January 28, 2025 18:42

  Ramesh Bidhuri addresses rally at Kalkaji

  BJP leader and candidate from Kalkaji, Ramesh Bidhuri, addresses a public gathering in the constituency in the presence of Home Minister Amit Shah.

• January 28, 2025 18:39

  Have ensured 24-hour electricity for Delhi: Kejriwal at Ghonda Assembly constituency rally

  At a rally in the Ghonda Assembly constituency, AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal says, “I am an engineer, and while working for 10 years, I have realised that my engineering is coming in handy... Earlier, Delhi used to witness power cuts for 6-8 hours; I am an engineer, I have ensured 24-hour electricity for you. BJP is in power in 20 states, but none of them has round-the-clock electricity.”

• January 28, 2025 18:12

  Haryana BJP MPs demand Kejriwal’s arrest over ‘poisoning Yamuna’ claim

  BJP MPs from Haryana on Tuesday (January 28, 2025) demanded the arrest of AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal over his claim that the state was releasing “poison” in the Yamuna River that supplies water to Delhi. 

  Addressing a press conference, all five Haryana MPs of the BJP said it was a clear case of “criminal conspiracy” by Mr. Kejriwal who was trying to create panic among the residents of Delhi.

  The BJP MPs challenged the Aam Aadmi Party government to test the quality of water released from Haryana before it is supplied to households in Delhi.

  Read the whole story here
• January 28, 2025 17:06

  Amit Shah holds roadshow in Delhi

  Union Home Minister Amit Shah (@AmitShah) holds roadshow from Moolchand to Kasturba Nagar.

• January 28, 2025 17:03

  2.5 crore devotees took dip in Sangam today, number crossed 18 crores in last 16 days: CM Adityanath

  Addressing a gathering in Vikaspuri, U.P. CM Yogi Adityanath says, “Grand and divine Maha Kumbh is being organised in Prayagraj. Around 2.5 crore devotees took a dip in Triveni Sangam today and this number crossed 18 crores in the last 16 days. Previous governments never made such arrangements. It’s ‘double-engine’ government in U.P. and therefore devotees are able to come here and go back with a memory that they took a dip in Sangam.”

  - PTI

• January 28, 2025 16:01

  AAP symbol of corruption and anarchy; deprived people in Delhi of basic amenities: Adityanath

  Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday dubbed Delhi’s ruling AAP a “symbol of corruption and anarchy” and urged people in the national capital to vote for a “double-engine government” of the BJP in the February 5 Assembly polls. 

  Addressing a public meeting in support of BJP candidate Raj Kumar Chauhan in Mangolpuri, he also slammed AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal over the “stinking Yamuna” in Delhi. 

  “If you had moral courage, you would have taken a dip in the Yamuna, along with ministers of the AAP government,” Mr. Adityanath said, referring to a recent dip he had taken at the Sangam in Prayagraj during the ongoing Maha Kumbh. 

• January 28, 2025 15:24

  Over 770 cases of violation of Model Code of Conduct registered

  More than 770 cases of alleged violations of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) have been registered ahead of the February 5 Delhi assembly polls, an official said on Tuesday.

  The cases were lodged between January 7, when the MCC came into force, and January 27.

  During this period a total of 24,081 people have been arrested under various legal provisions, including those under the Excise Act, according to a statement. 

  Read the whole story here
• January 28, 2025 15:24

  Rahul campaigns for Sandeep Dikshit in New Delhi seat, interacts with NDMC employees

  Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday campaigned for Sandeep Dikshit, who is taking on AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal from the New Delhi constituency in the February 5 Assembly polls.

  He also interacted with New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) employees who told him that thousands of people were unemployed due to policies of the BJP-led Centre and the AAP government in Delhi.

• January 28, 2025 15:22

  BJP launches theme song for Delhi assembly polls sung by Manoj Tiwari

  The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday launched its new theme song ahead of the Delhi Assembly elections, sung by party MP Manoj Tiwari.

  “Some songs are created in such a way that they need to be remixed. My team asked me to remix a song ‘BJP Dil Mein, BJP Delhi Mein,’ which was launched in 2017. Today, we are launching that remixed version, which includes our election guarantees,” said Tiwari, who is BJP MP from northeast Delhi.

• January 28, 2025 15:20

  SC allows Tahir Hussain to campaign for Delhi polls in police custody

  The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted custody parole to former AAP councillor and February 2020 riots accused Tahir Hussain, contesting Delhi Assembly polls on a AIMIM ticket, to campaign.

  A three-judge bench of Justices Vikram Nath, Sanjay Karol and Sandeep Mehta allowed Hussain’s plea to campaign under police custody from January 29 to February 3.

  Imposing several conditions, the top court said Hussain would only be allowed to leave jail along with security during the day time and return each night. 

  Read the full story here

• January 28, 2025 15:18

  Not afraid of legal action, won’t let people die in Delhi due to poisonous water: Arvind Kejriwal

  A day after accusing BJP-governed Haryana of mixing “poison” in the Yamuna river, AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday said he was not afraid of legal action and asserted he would not let people die in Delhi because of the “dirty, poisonous water”.

  Mr. Kejriwal claimed in a press conference that the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) CEO, in a letter on Monday, confirmed that a “poison” called ammonia had been mixed with the water supplied from the neighbouring State. 

  Mr. Kejriwal said Delhi Chief Minister Atishi and her Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann would meet Election Commission officials at 4 p.m. in connection with the matter.

  PTI

• January 28, 2025 14:32

  Shiv Sena (UBT) will stay neutral, Uddhav not to campaign for Congress or AAP: Raut

  Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray won’t campaign for the Congress or AAP in the Delhi assembly polls as the party has adopted a neutral stand, MP Sanjay Raut said on Tuesday.

  Mr. Raut stressed the AAP and Congress, both members of the INDIA bloc, are friends of Shiv Sena (UBT).

  “We are not going anywhere (for campaigning). We are neutral,” when asked whether Thackeray will campaign for either of the two parties in the February 5 Delhi assembly elections. 

  PTI

• January 28, 2025 14:01

  Jangpura voters weigh candidates as Delhi Assembly elections approach

  As the Delhi Assembly elections draw near, voters in the Jangpura constituency remain divided on who will emerge victorious.

  Residents in the area have expressed mixed opinions about their current representatives, citing ongoing issues like poor civic management, lack of safety, and insufficient engagement from elected officials.

  The 2020 elections saw Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate Praveen Kumar defeating BJP’s Impreet Singh Bakshi. This time, AAP has fielded senior leader Manish Sisodia, while BJP has nominated Tarvinder Singh Marwah and Congress putting forward Farhad Suri as its candidate.

  Locals voiced frustrations over unresolved issues and insufficient engagement from elected representatives. Many criticized the inaccessibility of the sitting AAP MLA, Praveen Kumar. 

  With the BJP threatening to disrupt the status quo, the upcoming polls are expected to be a high-stakes battle between the two parties.

  These elections are being viewed as a referendum on the AAP government’s governance model, which has relied heavily on free welfare schemes.

  PTI

• January 28, 2025 13:22

  Kejriwal urges Centre to enact law banning loan waivers for corporates

  Ahead of the Delhi Assembly elections, AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, demanding a nationwide law to prohibit the waiver of loans given to billionaires.

  Addressing a press conference on Tuesday (January 28, 2025), Mr. Kejriwal criticised the central government, alleging favouritism toward the wealthy by writing off corporate loans worth thousands of crores. He claimed such practices burden ordinary citizens with excessive taxes while benefitting the rich.

  Read more on this here...
• January 28, 2025 12:46

  Congress MP Rahul Gandhi interacts with people in the New Delhi Constituency area

• January 28, 2025 12:35

  Supreme Court moots parole for AIMIM’s Tahir Hussain to campaign in Delhi Assembly polls

  A three-judge Bench of the Supreme Court gave the Delhi Police time till 2 p.m. on January 29 to respond to a suggestion to permit custody parole to AIMIM candidate Tahir Hussain to campaign in the Delhi Assembly elections.

  The Bench headed by Justice Vikram Nath asked Additional Solicitor General S.V. Raju, appearing for the police, to also examine the security required for Mr. Hussain during the parole period and approximate expenses for it.

  The court said the amount could be paid to the Delhi Police in advance, probably on January 28.

  The case was referred to the larger three-judge Bench after a Division Bench of Justices Pankaj Mithal and Ahsanuddin Amanullah delivered a split verdict on January 21 on Mr. Hussain’s plea for interim bail to canvass for votes.

  -Krishnadas Rajagopal

• January 28, 2025 12:28

  Bhagwant Mann, Atishi to meet Chief Election Commissioner over Yamuna water quality issue

• January 28, 2025 11:57

  Haryana CM Saini threatens Kejriwal with defamation suit over his remarks on pollution in Yamuna

  Chief Minister of Haryana, Nayab Singh Saini has threatened to file a defamation suit against AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal over his remarks on the pollution in the Yamuna river.

  Mr. Kejriwal had alleged that the BJP-ruled Haryana government had “poisoned” the Yamuna water supplied to Delhi, leading to potential harm to people and blame-shifting to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

  The Haryana CM also said that Kejriwal has “become ‘Aapda’ for Delhi” and that in the state elections, with the “blessings of the people of Delhi, BJP will free Delhi from this ‘Aapda’.”

  - ANI

• January 28, 2025 11:53

  Ammonia in Yamuna allegation loom over Delhi polls; CM Atishi writes to Chief Election Commissioner

  A day after a war of words erupted between AAP in Delhi and the Haryana government over the quality of water supplied to the Capital from the Yamuna river, Chief Minister Atishi wrote to the Chief Election Commissioner on the subject. 

  “These toxic levels of ammonia in water coming from Haryana have rendered Delhi’s water treatment plants almost incapable of treating the water effectively, resulting in curtailment of water supply by 15 to 20% i.e. for approximately 34 lakhs people of Delhi. It is a known fact that high ammonia levels in drinking water can lead to a public health crisis causing ailments such as kidney damage, respiratory distress and even long-term organ damage,” she said in her letter.

• January 28, 2025 11:49

  “Waive farmers’ and middle class loan”: Arvind Kejriwal writes to PM Modi

  Convenor Arvind Kejriwal has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging the government to focus on waiving loans for farmers and the middle class instead of those for wealthy individuals.

  In his letter, Mr. Kejriwal stated, “Prime Minister should declare that no rich person’s loan will be waived off. If you want to waive off, then waive off farmers’ loans, middle class’s home loans. This money will benefit the middle class a lot.”

  Mr. Kejriwal further argued that by waiving loans for the wealthy, the government could reduce tax rates. “I have calculated that if loans are not waived off, then tax rates will be halved. A person earning 12 lakhs annually pays his entire salary in tax, this is the sorrow of the middle class,” Mr. Kejriwal wrote.

  - ANI

• January 28, 2025 11:39

  Congress MP Rahul Gandhi interacts with people in the New Delhi Constituency area

• January 28, 2025 11:38

  “He is lying”: Congress’ Sandeep Dikshit on Kejriwal’s ‘poisoning’ Yamuna remarks

  Congress candidate from New Delhi assembly constituency Sandeep Dikshit on Tuesday took a dig at Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal over his allegation against the BJP-ruled Haryana government of ‘poisoning’ Yamuna water. Dikshit accused the AAP leader of ‘lying’.

  Speaking to ANI, Dikshit said that he is surprised that no action is being taken against him by Haryana Police or Delhi Police.

  “This is a serious allegation ... Arvind Kejriwal should explain what kind of poison was there (in the water)... He is lying and still allowed to roam free. If a common man alleges the government of genocide, he will be in jail the very next day. I am surprised that no action is being taken against him by Haryana Police or Delhi Police. Where is the election commission?” the Congress leader said.

  - ANI

• January 28, 2025 11:31

  ‘I am Baniya, will arrange money for all schemes’: Kejriwal

  With less than 10 days to go for the Delhi polls, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal underlined his caste during public rallies on Monday, telling voters he is a “Baniya” and knows how to arrange money for welfare scheme he has promised.

  The former Chief Minister addressed public meetings at Palam, Matiala and Bijwasan. During his meetings, he talked about his party’s governance model, and responded to questions and criticism about the welfare schemes including free electricity, water, education and healthcare.

  “They ask where the money will come from. I am a Baniya. I know how to manage resources. You do not need to worry. I know the maths and I will arrange it (the money),” he told the ‘Jan Sabha’ in the Palam constituency.

  He contrasted his party’s approach with that of the BJP. “The AAP is the party for common people, whereas the BJP is a party for rich people,” he claimed.

  - PTI

• January 28, 2025 11:23

  AAP accuses Haryana of ‘water terrorism’; Delhi Jal Board calls allegation ‘factually incorrect’

  A war of words erupted between AAP in Delhi and the Haryana government on Monday over the quality of water supplied to the Capital from the Yamuna river, which flows through Haryana. AAP alleged that the level of ammonia in the water is high and termed it “water terrorism” and a “deliberate” act by the Haryana government.

  Delhi Chief Minister Atishi and her Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann wrote a letter to the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) alleging that the increase in ammonia in the Yamuna water released by Haryana to Delhi will affect the conduct of free and fair elections in the national capital. The letter sought the CEC’s intervention to solve the issue. According to sources, the Election Commission (EC) has directed the Haryana government to submit a factual report by Tuesday.

  Read more on this here
• January 28, 2025 10:55

  Akhilesh Yadav, Kejriwal to hold joint roadshow on January 30

  In an expected turn in the poll battle, the Samajwadi Party (SP) will campaign for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for the forthcoming Delhi assembly elections.

  Samajwadi Party, along with Trinamool Congress, Shivsena UBT and Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction) has already extended its support to the ruling AAP in Delhi.

  As per information from the Aam Aadmi Party, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal will together conduct a roadshow in the Rithala constituency on January 30.

  - ANI

• January 28, 2025 10:41

  TMC’s Shatrughan Sinha to campaign for AAP

  Trinamool Congress MP Shatrughan Sinha will campaign for the Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi ahead of the February 5 Assembly polls, party sources said.

  According to a highly placed source, Mr. Sinha, the TMC MP from Asansol, will canvass for the AAP in at least three constituencies on February 1 and 2. These include former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s New Delhi constituency, Chief Minister Atishi’s Kalkaji constituency, and Manish Sisodia’s Jangpura constituency.

  The TMC believes that the actor-turned-politician, who hails from Bihar, could mobilise Delhi’s ‘Purvanchali’ voters, a term referring to migrants from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. The Purvanchalis are an influential voter base in the city.

  The source added that “one or two more” TMC leaders may join the campaigning in Delhi.

  - PTI

Published - January 28, 2025 10:36 am IST