Delhi Lt Governor VK Saxena has sanctioned an investigation into allegations made by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) attempted to poach its candidates ahead of the upcoming Delhi Assembly election results, scheduled for February 8. The BJP has dismissed these claims as defamatory and accused the AAP of trying to tarnish its image before the crucial election outcome.
Anti-Corruption Bureau Initiates Inquiry
Following the Lt Governor’s directive, an Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) team reached the Civil Lines residence of AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal to question him regarding the allegations.
Kejriwal, the former Delhi Chief Minister, took to social media to claim that 16 AAP candidates had received offers from the BJP, promising them ministerial positions and Rs 15 crore each in exchange for their defection.
“Some agencies are showing that the abusive party (BJP) is getting more than 55 seats. In the last two hours, 16 of our candidates have received calls that if they leave AAP and join their party, they will be made ministers and given Rs 15 crore each,” Kejriwal wrote in Hindi.
AAP Questions Exit Poll Results
Kejriwal further questioned the authenticity of exit polls that predict a BJP victory in the elections. “If they are indeed winning more than 55 seats, why are they calling up our candidates? These fake surveys are a conspiracy to create an atmosphere to break AAP candidates. But not a single one of them will switch sides,” he asserted.
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Delhi Chief Minister and AAP leader Atishi echoed similar sentiments. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), she asked, “If the abusive party (BJP) is getting more than 50 seats, then why are they trying to break our candidates by contacting them?”
Atishi also alleged that the exit polls forecasting a BJP victory were manipulated to demoralize AAP candidates and create a setting conducive to defections.
Official Statement and Election Outlook
Following the BJP’s formal complaint against AAP’s accusations, the Lt Governor’s office released a statement emphasizing the need for a thorough investigation. “The Lieutenant Governor has desired that this matter merits a thorough investigation through the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) to establish the truth in the matter,” the statement read.
With polling for all 70 Assembly seats in Delhi concluded on Wednesday, the political atmosphere remains tense. As the vote counting on Saturday approaches, all eyes are on whether AAP will secure a third consecutive term or if BJP will end its 27-year-long wait to govern the capital.
