BJP trying to poach 16 of our candidates: Kejriwal
A day after polling in the national capital, AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday accused the BJP of making attempts to poach 16 of its candidates.
In a post on X, Kejriwal wrote, “Some agencies are showing that the abusive party is getting more than 55 seats. In the last two hours, 16 of our candidates have received calls that if they leave AAP and join their party, they will make them ministers and will give Rs 15 crore to each of them.”
“If his party (BJP) is getting more than 55 seats, then what is the need for him to call our candidates?” he further questioned.
“These fake surveys have been conducted with the sole purpose of creating this atmosphere to break some candidates. But you abusive people, not even one of our men will break,” he said.
Earlier in the day, AAP MP Sanjay Singh alleged that the BJP was indulging in corrupt practices by offering Rs 15 crore to its 16 contesting candidates. He claimed that even before the counting of votes, the BJP has admitted its defeat and shifted focus to toppling the AAP government.
He stated that the BJP had launched “Operation Lotus” — an attempt to buy AAP MLAs for Rs 15 crore each to engineer defections. “Since Thursday morning, we have been in discussions with our MLAs and candidates, and several of them have informed me that they have received offers.”
The AAP leader further said 16 MLA candidates have been offered Rs 15 crore each to leave the party, break it apart, and join the BJP.
“These offers have been made to 16 AAP candidates contesting the elections. They received phone calls from BJP operatives, urging them to defect and help form a government with the BJP,” he said.
Singh said the party had instructed all candidates, including sitting MLAs and new contenders, to remain alert and record all such conversations and share it with the public.
“Even after the 2013 elections, a person named Sher Singh Dagar tried to buy our MLA. Later, several other MLAs were also approached with similar offers from the BJP,” he added.
Singh alleged that, “Time and again, the BJP has used this tactic. They have, at times, succeeded in breaking a few leaders by using money and misusing investigative agencies. They pressure MLAs using every possible method. They even managed to break our MP in Punjab and a minister in Delhi. They also poached our MLA from Seemapuri.”
In a post on X, CM Atishi wrote: “If the abusive party is getting more than 55 seats, then why are they trying to break our candidates by contacting them? It clearly shows that exit polls are a conspiracy to break our candidates.”
In another post of X, sharing a screenshot of an alleged call by the BJP, AAP’s Mukesh Ahlawat wrote: “I will die, but I will not leave Arvind Kejriwal. I got a call from a number. The caller told me that they are forming the government. They will offer me a ministerial berth and also give me Rs 15 crore, if I quit the AAP”
Reacting to the allegations, Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said since the announcement of the Assembly elections, it was clearly visible that all AAP leaders, including Arvind Kejriwal, panicked after sensing defeat.
“The result of being rejected by the public in voting is that panicked AAP leaders are now completely frustrated. In that frustration, they have resorted to petty allegations,” he said.
He said Delhi CM Atishi had been granted bail in similar allegations of offering money to MLAs and the matter was currently under the review of the Delhi High Court. “Singh should withdraw his allegation and apologise to the BJP or be ready for a legal notice.”
