BJP offered Rs 20 crore each: AAP's explosive claims on efforts to poach its MLAs

Amidst claims that the BJP wants to carry out an "Operation Lotus" in Delhi to dislodge its government, AAP's Saurav Bharadwaj has said that the MLAs were offered up to Rs 20 crore to break away.

"BJP contacted our 12 MLAs and told them to break the party. They wanted to break away 40 MLAs and were offering Rs 20 crores each... Now we are going to Mahatma Gandhi Smriti," Bharadwaj said.

He said that the CBI, ED should probe from where did BJP get Rs 800 crore to buy AAP MLAs. The claims made by the AAP leader come at a time when deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia is facing probe by central agencies for alleged scam in the Delhi liquor policy which has now been withdrawn.


Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also questioned the source of the Rs 800 crore allegedly offered by the BJP to 40 AAP MLAs for switching sides.

"Even mattresses and walls at my deputy Manish Sisodia's residence were searched by the CBI but not even a single unaccounted penny was found. A day after the CBI's raids, Sisodia was approached by the BJP with an offer of the chief minister's post and to betray Kejriwal. I am lucky to have Sisodia, who has no greed for the chief minister's post," Kejriwal told reporters.

Earlier, there were reports that a dozen MLAs had gone incommunicado ahead of a crucial meeting called by party supremo and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal.

The meeting that concluded within minutes was physically attended by 53 MLAs, including Kejriwal. Seven MLAs were out of station while minister Satyendar Jain is in jail, said Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj. Okhla MLA Amanatullah Khan had joined the meeting over the phone, he added.

"We were not able to contact some of our MLAs as they were probably stuck in traffic, but we want to assure the people of Delhi that the AAP government will not fall. I want to assure you that all the legislators would be present at the meeting," senior party leader Saurabh Bhardwaj had told reporters outside the chief minister's residence.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders have dismissed the AAP's "poaching" claim, terming it a "public stunt" by the Kejriwal-led party.

(With PTI inputs)