BJP Accuses AAP Leader Mukesh Goel Of Bribery, Cites Sting Video Ahead Of MCD Polls

Ahead of the MCD elections, the BJP released a video of a sting operation accusing AAP leader Mukesh Goel of demanding money from a junior engineer at the Municipal Corporation of Delhi for giving gifts to party leaders. 

Addressing the media, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra showed the purported video of the sting operation on Goel, who is AAP's candidate from Adarsh Nagar.

"Goel demanded Rs one crore from the MCD junior engineer saying it was needed for giving Diwali gifts to 100-150 leaders," Patra alleged. “AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal should immediately sack Goel from his party,’’ Patra said.

The BJP leader further claimed that Goel was the “right hand” of Kejriwal, who never took any decision on MCD matters without consulting him.

Reacting to BJP's allegations, Goel has said that the BJP has "lost its mind" and the video is "concocted". Goel further said that he would take legal action against the ruling party and file a case of defamation. 

"BJP has lost its mental balance. It is losing the municipal elections badly. That's why the saffron party is engaged in tarnishing the image of our leaders due to the fear of defeat," Goel said. 

Goel, a five-time municipal councillor, quit the Congress in November last year and joined the AAP.

The 250-ward MCD goes to polls on December 4 and the counting of votes will take place on December 7. 

The allegation of bribery comes a day after Delhi's Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) arrested three men, including a relative and a personal assistant of AAP MLA Akhilesh Pati Tripathi, for allegedly accepting lakhs of money on behalf of Tripathi on the pretext of ensuring a ticket for the civic body elections. Another AAP MLA, Rajesh Gupta, has also been named, and the cops claim to have audio and video proof.