AAP rejects shahi imam's support

The shahi imam of Jama Masjid, Syed Ahmed Bukhari, has appealed to Muslims in Delhi to vote for the Aam Aadmi Party.

   Delhi will go to polls today and the results will be declared on February 10.

After the Friday prayers, Bukhari while addressing the gathering said that it is important for Muslims to vote en bloc in favour of one party, which is secular. "BJP ever since it has come in power at the centre is dividing the country on religious lines. AAP is a secular party and Muslims for their betterment should vote for it."

In last Delhi assembly elections, Bukhari was against AAP and had then appealed people to vote for Congress.

However, the AAP has rejected Bukhari's offer of support. AAP leader Sanjay Singh said his party doesn't support the ideology of Bukhari, and the party doesn't need his support.

"Imam Bukhari has supported different parties at different times, he has invited Pakistani PM Nawaz Sharif and not the Indian PM for his son's dastarbandi (anointment as the next shahi imam)," he added. He accused the shahi imam of playing communal politics.

The BJP is projected to get absolute majority in Delhi and win between 41-45 seats and AAP is likely to secure the second place, according to a survey by Research and Development Initiative (RDI). The survey states that AAP is likely to win between 21-25 seats in the 70-member Delhi Assembly.

The vote share projection has given BJP 41 per cent and AAP 36 per cent. Where as, Congress is likely to bag between 0-4 seats with a vote share of 12 per cent, according to the survey in the last week of January.