The Delhi CM said several MLAs explained how they were contacted and offered money to switch sides, allegedly by “BJP people.”
“On contacting our MLAs, we found out that they tried to poach seven of our legislators. These MLAs today said in the House that they were approached (by the BJP). As Rajesh Gupta said, they (BJP) want us to show proof. How can we show proof? A person doesn’t carry a tape recorder all the time. They feel that the party (AAP) will collapse once Arvind Kejriwal is arrested. They can arrest Kejriwal but how will they arrest Kejriwal’s thinking?” Kejriwal said during the trust vote.
This is the third motion of confidence by the Kejriwal government in the last three years. It comes amid the AAP’s claims that the BJP wanted to break the party by offering money to its MLAs and toppling its government in Delhi.
The previous confidence motions came in August 2022 and March 2023, amid AAP allegations that the BJP was carrying out “Operation Lotus” to poach its MLA.
The AAP has an overwhelming majority in the Delhi Assembly, with 62 MLAs in the 70-member House. The opposition BJP has eight MLAs, of whom seven are currently suspended.
Tabling the motion of confidence on Friday, Kejriwal said, “Two MLAs had come to me saying they were contacted by BJP members offering them Rs 25 crore each. They were told that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will be arrested and the government will be toppled.”
“They were also told that the BJP is in touch with 21 MLAs. They have made multiple attempts to approach our MLAs under ‘Operation Lotus’. Even this time, our MLAs refused to budge,” he had added.
(With inputs from PTI and ANI)
