The Crime Branch officials of the Delhi Police on Saturday served a notice on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, asking him to reply within three days in a probe into his claims that the BJP attempted to poach seven AAP MLAs by offering Rs 25 crore to each of them -- in what is the latest escalation of conflict between the two parties.
The notice to Kejriwal came just a day after he skipped the Enforcement Directorate’s fifth summon related to Delhi liquor policy case. Calling the summons ‘illegal’, the AAP convenor alleged that it was aimed at preventing him from campaigning in elections.
Summons and raids at opposition leaders’ premises are a frequent occurrence, often ahead of elections. Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren was arrested by the ED on Friday in a case of alleged money laundering.
What are the poaching allegations AAP made against BJP?
Last week, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had alleged on X that the BJP offered Rs 25 crore each to seven AAP MLAs to quit the party in order to topple his government.
“Recently, they (BJP) contacted our 7 MLAs in Delhi and said ‘we will arrest Kejriwal after a few days. After that, we will break the MLAs. Talks have been held with 21 MLAs. Talking to others also. After that, we will topple the Aam Aadmi Party government in Delhi. you can also come. Will give Rs 25 crore and contest the elections on BJP ticket’,” Kejriwal said on the social media platform X.
Shortly after Kejriwal, Delhi Minister Atishi held a press conference and alleged that the BJP had launched "Operation Lotus 2.0" in Delhi. "They had made a similar attempt to poach AAP MLAs last year by offering them money but failed," she said.
What did BJP say in response to the allegations?
The BJP rubbished the allegations, and termed them ‘false’ and ‘baseless’. Daring Kejriwal and Atishi to furnish evidence, Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva stated that the allegation of "Lotus 2.0" is a fabricated story to 'divert attention from the AAP government's corruption'.
BJP leader Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, in a statement, said FIRs should be filed against Kejriwal and Atishi if they fail to prove their allegations.
Meanwhile, a delegation of the Delhi BJP met Delhi Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora on January 30, seeking a probe into the allegations. A team of Delhi Police officials reached Kejriwal's residence on Friday to serve notice but failed. The team reached the Delhi chief minister's residence again on Saturday with the notice and managed to give it to officials at his residence.
On Sunday, crime branch officials were spotted outside Atishi’s residence as well to serve a notice in connection with the poaching allegations.
Only the latest escalation in AAP-BJP conflict
The poaching allegations are only the latest escalation of conflict between the two parties – AAP and BJP.
AAP workers and leaders protested at the BJP headquarters on February 2 over alleged rigging in the recently held mayoral polls in Chandigarh. Whereas the BJP held simultaneous protests against the "corruption" in the Arvind Kejriwal government.
