BJP leaders dismiss Atishi’s claim of BJP’s coercion as baseless. They highlight internal power struggles in AAP for the Chief Minister’s post. The BJP MPs raise allegations of corruption and involvement in scams against AAP members
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Delhi Minister Atishi on April 2 alleged that she was approached by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to join them or else she would be arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the coming days. While addressing a press conference, she said, “The BJP, through one of my close aides, approached me to join their party to save my political career, and if I do not join the BJP, then in the coming month, I will be arrested by the ED.”
Calling her allegations ‘baseless,’ BJP leader RP Singh said, “I too can make such baseless allegations. I, too, can say that Saurabh Bharadwaj called me up and requested me to protect them from Arvind Kejriwal, who wants to put them behind bars and make Sunita Kejriwal the CM.”
‘Internal tussle for Delhi CM’s post’, says BJP leader RP Singh
Singh further said that it was their party’s internal tussle which was surfacing, and the fight for the CM post had commenced within AAP. He said Saurabh Bharadwaj and Atishi are on one side, and Sunita Kejriwal and Arvind Kejriwal are on the other side.
He said, “This is their internal tussle, which is coming out again and again in different manners. The truth is that action will be taken against all whose names are involved in the matter. It is clear that the fight for the CM post has begun in AAP. Saurabh Bharadwaj and Atishi are on one side & Sunita Kejriwal and Arvind Kejriwal are on the other side.”
Another BJP MP, Manoj Tiwari, said, “People of Delhi are understanding it very well; there is a saying in English that thieves have been exposed. Their CM, Arvind Kejriwal, said Vijay Nair used to report to Atishi and Saurabh Bharadwaj. Nair, who is a key factor in the liquor scam, used to report to them. If the kingpin of this entire scam is saying that these people are involved, they should be interrogated. BJP has zero tolerance against corruption. PM Narendra Modi, BJP’s stand is to remove corruption.”
BJP leader and senior advocate Nalin Kohli says, “Atishi must be worried that the Aam Aadmi Party supreme leader Arvind Kejriwal seems to have taken her name and Saurabh Bharadwaj’s name, saying the middlemen used to meet them. If that is the case, their own leader is pointing a finger towards them. His two colleagues and other ministers are already in jail. He has already taken their resignation. Perhaps he has some other plans in mind to remove these ministers. But you just can’t turn around and attack the BJP on some false allegation or false narrative in the hope that the questions that are being asked will not be asked. Ultimately, they have to answer on the scam, which is the liquor scam in Delhi and on which the investigative agency obviously seems to have collected some credible material.”
‘Arvind Kejriwal fooled you,’ says BJP leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa
BJP leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa said Arvind Kejriwal is the only person who has fooled her. “No one except Arvind Kejriwal has fooled you. He has destroyed several lives before her. When Arvind Kejriwal gave their names to the ED, they felt that they are the next in turn because Kejriwal has given them away.”
Sirsa, in the video message, also asked Atishi to reveal the name of her close aide, from whom she claims she got the blackmail threat from the BJP. He added, “Atishi claims that he has gotten a message. She should reveal the name of her close aide so that the ED can arrest him. BJP will not take in such a corrupt leader like Atishi and even will not allow her to walk outside its office.” Hinting at a power struggle in the AAP, Sirsa said, “This is because Arvind Kejriwal does not want to make them Chief Minister. He wants to put them in jail. So they are scared.”