Delhi liquor scam: AAP alleges BJP offered Rs 20 cr each to its 4 MLAs to switch sides
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AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh address press conference in Delhi on August 24, 2022. AAP MLAs Ajay Dutt, Sanjeev Jha, Somnath Bharati and Kuldeep are also seen. Photo: Twitter.
New Delhi: Continuing its attacks on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Wednesday claimed that the saffron party has approached four of its legislators in Delhi, asking them to switch sides. It even alleged that its MLAs were threatened that if they won't join the saffron party, they will have to face 'false cases, the CBI and the ED.'
Five senior AAP leaders in a press conference today slammed the BJP for allegedly trying to lure AAP MLAs with cash and threats.
AAP's national spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh claimed he would "expose" how the PM Modi-led government is using central agencies to bring down the government in the national capital.
"Efforts to break the MLAs of Delhi have begun," he said, adding that the BJP tried a 'Shinde' on Manish Sisodia but the attempt failed.
He claimed BJP members threaten AAP MLAs. "They say take our offer of ₹ 20 crores or face CBI cases like Sisodia," he said.
The BJP has denied the charge and accused AAP of trying to "deviate and deflect" from questions around alleged corruption in the liquor policy for which Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia was recently raided by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
It's been more than a week since a war of words between both the parties started over the Delhi excise policy scam and FIR against Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia.
Singh said the legislators -- Ajay Dutt, Sanjeev Jha, Somnath Bharati, and Kuldeep Kumar -- have been approached by leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) with whom they have "friendly relations".
"They have been offered ₹ 20 crores each if they join the party and ₹ 25 crores if they bring other MLAs along with them," Singh said.
The four other AAP MLAs who were present at the press conference narrated how they were allegedly approached by BJP leaders.
"They said they know cases against Sisodia are fake, but the senior leaders have decided to bring down the AAP. BJP's leaders have been given the duty of getting in AAP leaders," Somnath Bharati said.
Taking to Twitter, Delhi Chief Minister and AAP's national convenor Arvind Kejriwal said it is "a very serious matter" and a meeting of the party's Political Affairs Committee (PAC) has been convened at his residence at 4 pm to "take stock of the situation and chalk out further strategy".