AAP Says Gambhir Hired A ‘Duplicate’, BJP Says Stop Nuisance

Many claimed that Gautam Gambhir had hired a ‘duplicate’ to stand in the heat for him during the election campaign.

The fight for the East Delhi seat between the Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) Atishi and Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Gautam Gambhir is the most-watched battle in the national capital in the ongoing 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

In the latest, Twitter users on Friday, 10 May, claimed that the cricketer-turned BJP neta Gambhir had ‘hired’ a duplicate to impersonate him during the election campaign.

The photo was first tweeted by TV9 Bharatvarsh reporter Kumar Kundan.

#LokSabhaElection2019 #LokSabhaEelctions2019
कौन है असली गौतम गंभीर बूझो तो जाने! जीप पर जनता से हार पहने अथवा गंभीर मुद्रा में गाड़ी की पहली सीट पर बैठे! @GautamGambhir @BJP4India pic.twitter.com/SiHl0rNTAA

— Kumar Kundan (@tweetkundan) May 10, 2019

The man in the cap is identified as Gaurav Arora, who is currently associated with the Gambhir campaign.

Chowkidar @GautamGambhir hired a 'duplicate' to stand for him in the heat and campaign for him!

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/uBIqFw5x9J

— Kapil (@kapsology) May 10, 2019

AAP leader Akshay Marathe, who is working with the Atishi campaign, tweeted that “a Congress neta takes over as a stunt double,” when Gambhir “enjoys” air-conditioning.

As Gautam Gambhir enjoys the air-conditioning, a Congress neta takes over as stunt double.

क्या खिचड़ी पका रहे है ये लोग? वैसे खिचड़ी AC में तो पकेगी नहीं @GautamGambhir, जनता के बीच कड़ी धूप में ही पकेगी!#IStandWithAtishi pic.twitter.com/OEQrJMw0yB

— Akshay Marathe (@AkshayMarathe) May 10, 2019

‘Insult to Voters,’ Says Twitter

People on Twitter said it was an “insult” to voters if he could not bear India’s dust and heat.

Dear Gautam,
Agar dhoop aur garmi tak nahi sah sakte to Janta ka dard aur ghussa kaise sahoge?#IStandWithAtishi #ShameOnGautamGambhir #DuplicateGambhir pic.twitter.com/kWfOhgk0mJ

— Dr Yasmin Sana (@yasminsana11) May 10, 2019

This is such an insult to the voters @GautamGambhir . Why did you join politics if you can’t bear India’s heat & dust ? pic.twitter.com/JgTliv4GXZ

— Sid (@sidmtweets) May 10, 2019

BJP Calls AAP’s Claim ‘Nuisance’

Delhi BJP Spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor, denying that anyone was ‘hired’ to duplicate Gambhir, told The Quint, that every candidate takes rest during the course of campaigning, and that the picture that is being circulated simply shows a group of people waving at others.

“Gambhir is hardly 5 feet tall and has a thin-build. The man in the photo, who is said to be waving at the public, as a duplicate, is a tall man, as it appears and very stoutly. There are 8-10 people in that tempo. When the neta is standing with the group and waving at people, everyone waves. But in this case, the neta was sitting in the car. It was not like he wasn’t present. That man has not put a mask of Gautam Gambhir, has he?”

Praveen Shankar Kapoor, Spokesperson

He also alleged that the AAP was circulating the photo as an attempt “to remain in the contest.”

“The Aam Aadmi Party is nowhere in the contest. So to remain in the contest, in the picture, they are creating a nuisance every other moment. This is one more.”

Praveen Shankar Kapoor, Spokesperson