“Our MLAs offered Rs 25 crore each”: Kejriwal fires fresh charge at BJP, accuses it of toppling Oppn govts

New Delhi: A day after going all out against the Centre in light of the Supreme Court order, overturning the verdict of the Chandigarh mayoral polls and calling it in favour of the AAP, the party’s national convenor and Delhi Chief Minister, Arvind Kejriwal, on Wednesday launched a blistering attack on the BJP, accusing them again of trying to induce his MLAs with big-money offers and topple elected governments in Opposition-ruled states.

Speaking on the floor of the Delhi Assembly on Wednesday, Kejriwal said, “Sometimes ‘Adharma’ (immorality) pervades the system to such an extent that we often wonder if truth and honesty have any place in society. Many good people lose their faith in the system and political class due to ‘

Adharma ka bolbala’ (free run of immorality). At such times, God restores our faith in the system and the virtues of honesty and probity by removing rotten elements. ‘

Charon taraf dharma ka bolbala hai’ (Everywhere one looks these days, immorality seems to be ruling the roost). Many have started to think that there is no sense in treading on the path of honesty and probity when those who indulged in wrong acts are conspiring against them.”

चंडीगढ़ मेयर चुनाव में सुप्रीम कोर्ट के फ़ैसले ने देश में बढ़ती तानाशाही को कड़ा संदेश दिया है। आज ज़रूरत है कि हमें मिलकर किसी भी हालत में अपने जनतंत्र और स्वायत्त संस्थाओं की निष्पक्षता को बचाकर रखना है। https://t.co/mir3RrS41K

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) February 21, 2024

Coming out in support of former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, who is currently behind bars in connection with the liquor policy case, the AAP national convenor said, “The man who is responsible for Delhi’s education system and putting it at par with the world’s best (Sisodia) is in jail and the one accused of misconduct with our daughters and sisters (former national wrestling federation chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh) is still out there wielding his political clout and influence.”

Repeating his charge against the ruling party at the Centre, that it was trying to topple elected governments in Opposition-ruled states, the Delhi CM said, “Our MLAs were offered Rs 25 crore (each by the BJP to switch sides). Everywhere you see, Opposition MLAs are being lured away and governments are being toppled. Be it Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Goa, Maharashtra, the Northeast or Uttarakhand…everywhere one looks, elected MLAs are being lured away with black money.”

Notably, the Crime Branch of Delhi Police had issued notices to AAP chief Kejriwal and fellow party leader and minister Atishi at their homes in their absence in connection with their poaching charge at the BJP.

Responding to the Crime Branch notice, Kejriwal claimed it did not mention any FIR, adding that his party wouldn’t cower under such ‘theatrics’ and intimidatory tactics.

Veering to the Chandigarh mayoral polls, the AAP national chief said, “In Chandigarh, the BJP’s representative (presiding officer) manipulated the election results, to the extent that a candidate, who was leading initially by a significant margin, lost and the one who trailed came out eventually as the victor. Something similar played out in neighbouring Pakistan as well.”

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court declared Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councillor Kuldeep Kumar, jointly supported by the Congress, as the winner of the Chandigarh mayoral polls.

The apex court ruled that the presiding officer had deliberately defaced eight ballots cast in favour of Kuldeep Kumar, rendering them invalid.

“The eight votes which were treated as invalid by making those markings… counting the eight votes for the petitioner (AAP candidate Kumar) will make him have 20 votes. We direct that the election result by the Returning Officer is quashed. The petitioner is declared to be the winner of the Chandigarh mayoral polls,” the bench stated in its order.