In New Delhi, the Delhi Police Crime Branch made a second visit to the residence of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to deliver a notice concerning his accusations that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) attempted to bribe members of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to leave the party. This action follows an initial attempt to serve notices to both Kejriwal and Delhi Minister Atishi, which faced obstacles as Kejriwal’s representatives refused acceptance, and Atishi was unavailable, according to PTI.
The intention behind the Crime Branch’s visit was to personally hand the notice to Kejriwal, highlighting the gravity with which they are pursuing the allegations made against the BJP. These allegations have sparked a significant controversy, with the Delhi BJP lodging a formal complaint with Delhi Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora, emphasizing the seriousness of the accusations put forth by AAP leaders.
Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva vocally criticized Kejriwal, challenging the veracity of his claims and suggesting that an investigation would unveil the truth. “Kejriwal’s attempt to evade the investigation after making such serious allegations will not go unchallenged,” Sachdeva stated.
The controversy stems from AAP’s allegations last week that the BJP offered ₹25 crore to each of seven AAP MLAs as a bribe to resign from the party, aiming to destabilize the Kejriwal-led government. Atishi referred to this strategy as “Operation Lotus 2.0“, alluding to the BJP’s election symbol and previous accusations against the party for undermining state governments.
Despite the BJP’s denial of these claims, the AAP has yet to provide concrete evidence to support its accusations. Sachdeva’s demand for proof from Kejriwal and the lack of forthcoming evidence has led to claims of baselessness in the allegations.
This ongoing political drama underscores the tension between the AAP and BJP in Delhi, with serious accusations of political tampering and the pursuit of truth through legal and investigative channels.