Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was slapped by a man during a roadshow in Moti Nagar in the New Delhi constituency, prompting a strong reaction from the AAP which alleged the BJP was behind the "cowardly act"
The attacker climbed the vehicle on which Kejriwal was riding and within seconds landed a blow on Arvind Kejriwal.
Police said the man has been taken into the custody and an investigation into the matter is underway.
DCP (West) Monika Bhardwaj said the man has been identified as Suresh, 33, and he deals in spare parts in Kailash Park.
"Do Modi and Amit Shah want Kejriwal to be murdered?" Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia tweeted, attacking the prime minister and the BJP chief.
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He said the BJP could not break Kejriwal's morale in the last five years, neither defeat him in elections despite putting in all its might. "Now you want him removed from your way like this. You cowards! Kejriwal is your death," he said in a tweet in Hindi.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was among the first top leaders to condemn the attack on Kejriwal. She held the BJP responsible for the attack and said the saffron party was making "desperate attempts" in the face of losing the electoral battle.
AAP spokesperson Saurabh Bharadwaj too alleged that the BJP might be behind the attack and asserted the incident would not deter the spirit of the party.
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"Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal got attacked during the roadshow. We condemned this cowardly act. This opposition sponsored attack cannot stop the Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi," he said.
BJP Delhi president Manoj Tiwari condemned the incident and said the AAP might have "scripted" the incident.
"We do not support violence and condemn such action by anyone. But I have doubt as to why such incidents happen with Kejriwal in election time only.
"I doubt this incident may have been scripted by Kejriwal himself," Tiwari alleged.
Kejriwal was holding the roadshow in favour of New Delhi candidate Brijesh Goyal who is contesting from the Lok Sabha seat.
This is not the first time that the Aam Aadmi Party convener was assaulted.
Kejriwal was also slapped while campaigning for Delhi assembly elections in 2015 and again during the same year when an autorickshaw driver slapped him during a roadshow in Delhi.
He was targetted with ink during a press conference earlier
