'Bring 10 MLAs And...': AAP Legislator Claims He Was Given Rs 25 Cr Offer To Join BJP, Saffron Party Hits Back

The AAP MLA claimed that he was approached with an offer to join the BJP on Sunday.

Delhi News: Aam Aadmi Party MLA Rituraj Jha on Monday levelled allegations on the Bharatiya Janata Party saying that he was approached by the saffron party to join them with an offer of Rs 25 crore to break away from the party and bring 10 MLAs along with him.

Speaking in the Delhi Assembly, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader slammed the BJP and accused it of "wanting to crush the Delhi government". "Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is the only leader who has defeated Prime Minister Narendra Modi four times in Delhi -- 2013, 2015, 2020 Assembly elections and 2022 MCD polls. They have started a cheap trick once again," he said. 

Jha claimed that he was approached with an offer to join the saffron party on Sunday. "Yesterday, I went to Bawana's Dariyapur to attend a wedding after the INDIA maharally. There were some people who were trying to approach me over phone for the last three to four days," Jha said.

"When I reached there at 9.15 pm, three-four people took me to one side and said 'see if you will not agree, you will not get anything. President's rule will be imposed. You bring 10 MLAs and we will give Rs 25 crore to each one of you. You will be made a minister in the BJP government'," he added.

Jha mounted the attack on the BJP and asserted that AAP MLAs will not leave the party. He said that Operation Lotus has begun again.

'How long will you speak lies?': BJP Hits Back 

The BJP reacted to the allegations levelled by the AAP MLA and asked Jha whether he filed a police complaint after receiving a call for joining the saffron party. "The AAP MLAs have alleged a dozen times before that money was offered to them. Saying anything using sanctity of the House is not done. How long will you speak lies?", BJP MLA Vijender Gupta asked, as quoted by PTI.

The AAP national convener, who was arrested on March 21 and subsequently remanded to the ED custody by a Delhi court, faces allegations of direct involvement in a conspiracy related to the formulation of the excise policy favouring specific individuals. He was remanded to judicial custody till April 15 in the excise policy scam case.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) sought a fifteen-day judicial custody for CM Kejriwal, citing his "non-cooperative behaviour" during the investigations.