EC changing rules to register new party at BJP's behest ahead of polls in Punjab, claims AAP
New Delhi, Jan 13: The AAP on Thursday claimed that the Election Commission is going to register a new political party by bringing changes in its rules at the behest of the BJP.
Addressing a press conference here, party spokesperson Raghav Chadha alleged that the move has been set in motion by the BJP to stop the AAP from winning assembly elections in Punjab and forming its government in the state.
There was no immediate reaction either from the EC or the BJP on the AAP's accusation.
Chadha, however, did not share the name of the party which he claimed is going to be registered by the commission, saying it will soon be known to everybody.
"We have received very solid information that the Election Commission of India is going to register a (new) political party giving it a special treatment," Chadha, who is also co-in charge of the AAP's political affairs in Punjab, told reporters.
For this, the commission is going to bring "two big changes" in the registration of the political parties, he claimed.
"First, the election commission is going to reduce the period of raising any objection to the registration of a new political party to 7 days from 30 days," he said.
The second change that the EC is going to bring in its rules is to provide for registration of a new political party after announcement of the schedules of the elections and imposition of a model code of conduct.
"The BJP is now providing all types of facilitation and relief for the registration of a particular political party under a special treatment only to stop AAP from coming to power in Punjab after it realised that neither the Akali Dal, nor the Congress, nor the front created by it joining hands with Amarinder Singh would be able to stop AAP," Chadha claimed.
"It appears that after registration of this political party, it will cut the votes of the AAP," he added.
The AAP leader demanded that the Election Commission and the BJP both must tell the people the name of "this special political formation" for whose registration as a political party the rules are being amended and relaxed.
"I want to ask directly to (Home Minister) Amit Shah as to which party the BJP wants to bring in the elections for which all these arrangements are being made. What was the need to change the rules overnight for registration of a special political party?" he asked, adding "it appears that the party, after its registration, will only cut the votes of the AAP in elections."
The AAP leader also demanded that those seeking registration of their "political morcha" as a political party to contest assembly polls in Punjab should also disclose their relationship with the BJP and Shah.
The AAP is the main Opposition party in Punjab where polling to elect 117 members of the State Legislative Assembly is scheduled to be held on February 14.
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US confirms Israel's attack on Iran, says it was not involved
Washington: In response to recent developments, United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken addressed concerns regarding reported offensive operations involving Israel and Iran. Blinken emphasized that the United States has not been engaged in any offensive operations, stressing on the nation's commitment to de-escalating tensions in the region.
Speaking on behalf of the G7, Blinken reiterated the focus on de-escalation efforts, as reflected in their recent discussions and statements. He emphasized the importance of working collaboratively to reduce tensions and promote stability.
Earlier reports had indicated that the US received advance notification of a planned Israeli strike on Iran, scheduled for the coming days. However, Blinken clarified that while the US was informed of the intended strike, it did not endorse the action. This statement highlights the United States' stance of neutrality in the matter and its commitment to diplomatic solutions to mitigate tensions.
"We’re committed to Israel’s security. We’re also committed to de-escalating -- to trying to bring this tension to a close," Blinken said during a news conference at the conclusion of the group's meeting in Capri, Italy, hours after a US official told CNN that Israel had launched a military strike on Iran.
He also said the countries shared "a commitment to hold Iran to account."
Blinken said the nations condemned Iran's weekend strikes on Israel. He called those attacks "unprecedented in scope and scale; scope because it was a direct attack on Israel from Iran, scale because it involved more than 300 munitions including ballistic missiles."
