Attack on CM Rekha Gupta Turns Into BJP vs AAP Slugfest as AAP MLA Calls it ‘Drama’

The physical attack on Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has escalated into a bitter political war between the BJP and the Aam Aadmi Party, after an AAP legislator publicly claimed the entire incident was “a drama to create a story.” The incendiary comments have drawn a furious response from the BJP, which has questioned whether the AAP was involved in a conspiracy, even as the top leadership of both parties has condemned the violence.

The controversy was ignited by remarks from Anil Jha, the AAP MLA from Kirari, who alleged that Chief Minister Gupta, a former BJP colleague, had staged the attack. “There’s been no attack. She put that man there herself, to create this drama for a story. She’s been doing this drama for years,” Jha reportedly said, claiming to know Gupta for 27 years. He even recounted a past incident from their student union days where he alleged she had asked him to burn her hair to feign an injury during a protest.

The BJP reacted with anger. Delhi BJP secretary Harish Khurana tagged AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal in a post on X, demanding to know if this was his party’s official position. “Your MLA is saying that no attack took place and the chief minister is creating drama, so why are you condemning the attack? It seems to me that there might be a conspiracy by [AAP] because you have a history of being involved in such acts,” Khurana wrote.

The political spat was further fueled by a now-debunked photograph. Khurana had shared an image allegedly showing the attacker, Rajesh Bhaiji, with AAP’s Gujarat leader Gopal Italia. The AAP swiftly called the image fake or edited. Italia himself hit back at Khurana, questioning his integrity. Former Delhi CM Atishi, speaking on a TV channel, slammed the attempt to create a “false connection,” stating that even if the image were real, her condemnation of violence would remain unchanged.

This blame game is unfolding even as the AAP’s top leadership has taken a clear stand against the assault. Arvind Kejriwal had tweeted shortly after the incident, stating that while differences of opinion are acceptable, “there can be no place for violence.” While police are investigating the attacker’s motive, with initial probes suggesting he was angered by a Supreme Court order on stray dogs, the political fallout has now overshadowed the security lapse, turning the reprehensible act into a toxic he-said, she-said between Delhi’s ruling and opposition parties.