BJP issues first response on EC ordering Anurag Thakur's removal from star campaigner list

Union Information & Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar on Wednesday during a Cabinet briefing spoke about the Election Commission's order to remove Anurag Thakur from the BJP's star campaigners list. Speaking about it, he said, "I have just received the information that the Election Commission has issued some directive. We will study it and if necessary, we will present an application."

Speaking about the election campaign, Javadekar said, "More importantly, BJP is putting up a balanced campaign with positivity. We are discussing the entire development of Delhi.

EC's order to remove Thakur

The Election Commission on Wednesday ordered to remove Anurag Thakur and Parvesh Verma from a list of star campaigners after they had made provocative remarks. 

In a shocking video that surfaced on Monday, MoS Finance Anurag Thakur was seen chanting inflammatory slogans in a BJP election rally in Delhi. The video showed the MoS shouting 'Desh ke gaddaron ko, goli maron salon ko' (Shoot all traitors of the country) while campaigning for the BJP candidate for Rithala Assembly constituency - Manish Chaudhari.

Read: SHOCKING: MoS Finance Anurag Thakur raises 'shoot traitors' slogan at Delhi election rally

Meanwhile, AAP Lok Sabha MP Bhagwant Mann took a jibe at MoS Anurag Thakur's chant of shooting dead traitors during a poll campaign and coined a new name for the BJP – 'Bharatiya Zalim (oppressor) Party'. Taking to Twitter, he said, "BJP ministers in Delhi are raising slogans to shoot. Looks like BJP is thinking of renaming the party as Bharatiya Zalim Party."

Read: Sena mocks Anurag Thakur for his 'misplaced priorities', asks him to focus on Union Budget

Delhi Assembly Elections

The National Capital will go to polls in a single-phase on February 8 and the counting of votes will take place on February 11. The last day of filing nominations for the candidates was on January 21. The BJP has fielded Bhartiya Janta Yuva Morcha president Sunil Yadav against Delhi CM Kejriwal from New Delhi constituency, and the Congress has fielded former NSUI Delhi president Ramesh Sabharwal against him. The BJP and Congress are yet to name their Chief Ministerial faces. 

Read: 'Bharatiya Zalim Party' - AAP's Bhagwant Mann coins new name for BJP over Anurag Thakur

Read: Prakash Javadekar reacts on Imam's arrest, asserts 'no tolerance' for provocative slogans