Delhi Elections 2020: Delayed by roadshow, Arvind Kejriwal fails to file his nomination

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, on Monday failed to file his nomination after being delayed by a roadshow.

“I was supposed to file my nomination at 3 pm today but the office closes at 3 pm. I was told I’ll have to file nomination but I said how can I leave them (people at road show) and go?” Kejriwal said.

“I’ll go to file nomination tomorrow,” he added.

The AAP national convenor held a party roadshow with his family and senior party colleagues and supporters in tow. He paid obeisance at the Valmiki Mandir in New Delhi before hopping on to an open vehicle for the roadshow, which wound its way to Connaught Place Inner Circle in central Delhi via Panchkuian Marg.

The roadshow is scheduled to move towards the Outer Circle on to Baba Kharak Singh Marg before terminating near the Patel Chowk Metro station near Parliament Street.

As the crowd grew, his roadshow from Valmiki Mandir near Gole Market to Patel Chowk metro station caused huge traffic jams near Connaught Place and Panchkuian Road.

Kejriwal’s wife Sunita Kejriwal and their two children, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh accompanied him in the open vehicle as a sea of supporters holding brooms (the party’s election symbol) and placards walked along.

Amid heavy security during the roadshow, the participants chanted the Aam Aadmi Party’s re-election slogan — “Acchhe beete panch saal, lage raho Kejriwal”.

Kejriwal is seeking re-election from the seat for the third time — having won in 2013 and 2015 with a vote percentage of 53.46 and 64.34 respectively. Interestingly, ahead of the 2015 elections, Kejriwal had filed his nomination on the same date, January 20 that year.

The Delhi Assembly polls will be held on February 8 and counting of votes will take place on February 11. January 21 is the last date for filing of nominations.

Both the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party are yet to announce their candidates against the AAP supremo.

In 2013, when the AAP fought its maiden election, Kejriwal had visited the same Valmiki temple before filing his nomination.

Recalling the 2013 elections, Kejriwal earlier tweeted: “It was from here in 2013 that we took a broom for the first time to clear politics. Today, once again (after) taking the blessings of sage Valmiki, I will go to file my nomination.”