Delhi Cantonment Assembly constituency BJP workers protested in haste at the decision of the prospect candidature of former BJP leader Manish Singh in the Delhi Assembly elections, which would soon begin. Mass protest through a letter written to BJP General Secretary Arun Singh accused Singh of serious charges such as rape, woman harassment, corruption, and violations under the SC/ST Atrocities Act.
A letter Dated December 15, 2024,alleges that Manish Singh was accused in rape and harassment cases and that he was under various investigations. One such FIR was filed at DLF Police Station in Gurgaon on FIR No. 205/11 and another one filed at Delhi Cantt Police Station on FIR No. 112/2024. The workers have brought photostate copies of those FIRs.
Singh’s term as a member of the Delhi Cantt Board also witnessed allegations of corruption and bribery leading to his premature removal from the post.
Voices of Protest
BJP Mahila Morcha president at Sadar Cantt, Pratibha Jaswal accused Singh of cheating her of ₹40 lakh, which she has already filed a complaint in court against. She also lodged complaints against Singh with the senior BJP leaders seeking justice. Similarly, Dalit resident Harish of Jheera village alleged that Singh tried to snatch his shop and lodged a formal complaint in SC/ST Commission. The complaint by Harish reportedly contains details of other cases against Singh.
Threat to BJP’s Reputation
The protesting BJP workers threatened that nominating Singh would cause irreparable damage to the party’s reputation and electoral prospects. They said that Singh’s controversial background is against the values of the BJP and would alienate the Dalit voters further, causing damage to the party’s reputation in the constituency.
Clean Candidate Demand
The letter was signed by Vikas Sharma, Ashok Pradhan, Gopal Singh, Rashmi Mishra, Mohan Sharma, and Gautam Bainiwal, who are all influential BJP workers in Delhi Cantt. They presented an appeal to the BJP high command to take the clean candidate on board so that the reputation of the party is favored.
Party’s Response
The BJP has already announced candidates for 59 constituencies of the 2025 Delhi Assembly elections, but it still did not announce for the seat of Delhi Cantt. The leadership is evaluating this matter, insiders say, keeping in view the seriousness of allegations against Singh.
The controversy underscores the party’s challenge in maintaining its image while balancing electoral considerations, as workers push for ethical leadership in one of Delhi’s key constituencies.