The BJP has launched an all-out effort to convince the voters about Aam Aadmi Party leaders being involved in corruption, fearing the possibility of a “sympathy factor” playing out in favour of Arvind Kejriwal ahead of voting in Delhi and Punjab.

Delhi chief minister Kejriwal, who is out on bail in the excise policy case, has been leading a “personal” campaign to draw voters’ sympathy, stressing how the BJP has been putting all its party leaders in jail with the motive to “destroy the AAP”.

AAP-ruled Delhi and Punjab vote on May 25 and June 1, respectively.

Minister and BJP’s Amethi candidate Smriti Irani on Thursday appealed to voters to take note of the Delhi High Court observations on the corruption charges against AAP leader Manish Sisodia, claiming that the judiciary had taken note of “corruption to the tune of ₹100 crore”.

Irani’s media address was a continuation of the series of allegations levelled by other BJP leaders to portray the AAP as corrupt.

“The court accepts that corruption to the tune of ₹100 crore has been committed by Manish Sisodia… acknowledged Sisodia’s alleged attempts to destroy evidence and intimidate potential witnesses, particularly those willing to testify against the AAP,” Irani said, referring to the recent high court judgment while denying bail to the AAP leader who is in jail for more than a year in the excise policy case.

“My appeal to citizens is to read these substantial observations about Sisodia and the AAP’s corruption. These so-called political activists entered the corridors of power with a promise of change but became nothing but looters of the people’s treasury,” she said.

The BJP also went all out against the alleged assault of AAP Rajya Sabha member Swati Maliwal by a close aide of Kejriwal. “Can you expect him (Kejriwal) to do justice to anybody? The question is, while a lady was being assaulted in his house, who was present? What did Kejriwal do?” Irani asked. “The AAP is not only corrupt, but its women workers are not safe in their own CM’s house,” she added.

The BJP had swept all seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi in 2019 but with the AAP and the Congress joining hands and the Supreme Court allowing Kejriwal to campaign, the party fears it could face a tough fight in Delhi if a sympathy factor plays out among the voters.

Delhi had leaned towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Lok Sabha but sided with the AAP in the Assembly polls. This time, Kejriwal has been aggressively urging voters to defeat the BJP to ensure its aim to “destroy” his party and “destabilise the popular government” fails. Delhi Assembly polls are scheduled in early 2025.