Water Politics: Yamuna Clean-Up Sparks Pre-Election Controversy

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leveled accusations against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) governments in Delhi and Haryana on Thursday, claiming they diverted water from Uttar Pradesh's Eastern Canal to the Yamuna River. According to AAP, this maneuver aims to create an ''illusion'' of cleanliness ahead of the festival, a charge dismissed by the BJP.

The BJP, instead, credited Chief Minister Rekha Gupta's administration with a ''historic turnaround'' in the Yamuna's condition within eight months of taking office. As Chhath Puja approaches, political tensions in Delhi have intensified, with AAP and the ruling BJP clashing over the river's cleanliness and preparations for the festival.

Furthermore, the issue of the Yamuna clean-up and Chhath facilities is pivotal as the 243-member Bihar Assembly elections approach, scheduled for November 6 and 11. The Delhi Chhath celebrations have thus become a political platform extending beyond the capital's borders, with both parties attempting to sway Purvanchali voters.