Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena has recommended an investigation by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) into allegations made by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal, claiming that the BJP attempted to poach its MLAs ahead of the Delhi Assembly election results on February 8.
The LG’s Principal Secretary has instructed the Chief Secretary of the Delhi government to initiate an ACB inquiry into claims of bribes allegedly offered to AAP MLAs. This recommendation follows a complaint from the BJP, asserting that Kejriwal’s allegations are “false and baseless,” intended to damage the party’s reputation and create unrest in Delhi after the elections held on February 5.
On Friday, Delhi BJP General Secretary Vishnu Mittal wrote to LG Saxena, requesting that the ACB and other investigating agencies register an FIR and conduct a thorough investigation into the bribery allegations involving AAP leaders Kejriwal and Sanjay Singh, who claimed a bribe of Rs 15 crore was offered to seven sitting AAP MLAs.
The BJP’s letter stated that AAP’s allegations lack any supporting evidence. “The claims made by Arvind Kejriwal and Sanjay Singh are serious and warrant immediate investigation, particularly as they have not provided any proof regarding who was contacted or the details of those communications. With the Assembly elections just concluded, spreading such misleading information is intended to incite panic in Delhi,” the letter read.
It further requested that the ACB and relevant agencies investigate the alleged bribe offers and summon Kejriwal and Singh for questioning regarding the contacts and methods used in these alleged communications.
On Thursday, Kejriwal asserted that BJP had contacted 16 of his candidates, urging them to leave AAP and join the BJP. “Some agencies suggest that the ‘Gali Galoch party’ (referring to the BJP) is set to win more than 55 seats. In the last two hours, 16 of our candidates received calls promising them ministerial positions and Rs. 15 crore each if they defected,” Kejriwal stated.
He questioned the need for such outreach if the BJP was indeed poised for a significant victory, labeling the purported surveys as attempts to create a narrative aimed at undermining AAP candidates.
AAP MP Sanjay Singh added that seven of the party’s MLAs had been approached with bribe offers. “We have advised our MLAs to record any such calls and document any meetings discreetly. The BJP is losing the elections by a large margin,” he said.
Exit polls have varied in their forecasts for the Delhi elections, with one suggesting the BJP could win between 51-60 out of 70 seats, while two other polls predicted an AAP victory. The results will be announced on February 8, with AAP having dominated the previous two Assembly elections in the capital.
