CM claims 40 MLAs targeted by BJP with Rs 20 cr offer each
New Delhi: A high-voltage drama unfolded on Thursday with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal summoning the AAP MLAs at his residence as he accused the BJP of trying to topple his government by offering Rs 800 crore to 40
of his legislators for switching sides and asked if this money came from GST collections, PM CARES Fund or some of its "friends".
Kejriwal visited Mahatma Gandhi's memorial at Rajghat along with Aam Aadmi Party MLAs to pray for the country, asserting that the AAP government is stable as his party legislators are not for sale. AAP chief spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj said the "Operation Lotus" by the BJP has failed.
The BJP hit back hard, saying the AAP's allegations were like a "movie script" and the party was indulging in theatrics.
The day began with AAP leaders claiming that nearly a dozen party MLAs were incommunicado ahead of the meeting at the chief minister's
residence, even as after the head count exercise later they
said all the 62 party MLAs
were accounted for.
Bhardwaj said 53 MLAs were physically present in the meeting while one — Okhla MLA Amanatullah Khan — attended it over phone. Seven MLAs, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, Speaker Ram Niwas Goel, were out of station and minister Satyendar Jain is in jail.
"Twelve AAP MLAs were contacted by the BJP to switch sides. The MLAs have, however, said they are with the AAP. The BJP was targeting 40 AAP MLAs with an offer of Rs 20 crore each to switch sides," Bhardwaj alleged.
"They (BJP) need 40 MLAs to topple my government. They have kept aside Rs 800 crore for toppling the Delhi government. People of the country want to know about the source of this money — is it from GST or the PM CARES Fund? Have some of their friends given them this money?" Kejriwal told reporters at Rajghat.
Kejriwal in the same breath also praised his deputy Sisodia and MLAs saying they will prefer to loose their heads rather than get sold out.
"Even mattresses and walls at Sisodia's residence were searched by the CBI but not even a single unaccounted penny or objectionable documents was found," he said in reference to recent raid by the central agency at his deputy's residence in connection with alleged irregularities in the excise policy. The agency has named Sisodia as an accused in the case. "I am extremely happy that no MLA has yielded under pressure. They want to poach 40 MLAs, but I want to tell the people of Delhi that they have voted for a hardcore honest government. Neither me nor my MLAs and ministers will betray the country and be sold out," Kejriwal said.
He said the AAP MLAs prayed at Rajghat for peace to prevail in the country
at a time "attempts" were being made to "topple state governments".
"They toppled the Maharashtra, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh & Goa governments, they're after the Delhi Government now, they are setting a dangerous precedent for this country," Kejriwal said.
AAP MLA Somnath Bharti alleged that the BJP, after failing to lure his party MLAs with money, was attempting to honeytrap him, and lodged a complaint with the Delhi Police.
The Delhi Assembly's special session convened Friday is likely to be a stormy affair amid a slugfest over central probe agencies' action in the Kejriwal government's excise policy and the AAP accusing the BJP of trying to lure its MLAs.
