In a scathing attack on Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday accused an AAP MLA of being involved in extorting money with the assistance of a notorious gangster. The BJP’s allegations come amid growing political tensions in Delhi, with both parties intensifying their attacks as the city heads toward elections.
At a press conference, BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia and Delhi state president Virendra Sachdeva made serious claims about the involvement of an AAP MLA in a criminal extortion racket, using the help of an alleged gangster. The BJP representatives took the opportunity to air an audio clip, which they claim contains a conversation between the MLA and the gangster, suggesting a well-organized extortion scheme.
The audio clip, according to Bhatia, clearly indicates that the MLA was actively involved in threatening individuals and extorting money from them in collaboration with the gangster. This revelation has fueled the BJP’s allegations that the AAP government has been turning a blind eye to criminal activities and may even be complicit in such illicit dealings.
Bhatia demanded immediate action from Arvind Kejriwal and Delhi Chief Minister Atishi, urging them to publicly distance themselves from the MLA in question. He called for the MLA’s resignation, stating that failure to do so would imply that the extorted money was flowing directly to the AAP and its leadership. Bhatia emphasized that the public perception would be that the party was benefiting from the criminal activities being carried out under its watch.
“If they do not take his resignation, it will be deemed that the extortion money is going to the party and its leaders,” Bhatia said. He also expressed his concern about the state of law and order in Delhi, pointing to the AAP’s failure to address rising crime levels, including the growing influence of gangsters in the capital city.
This explosive allegation comes at a time when the AAP is relentlessly targeting the Central government, particularly Union Home Minister Amit Shah, accusing the BJP-led Centre of not doing enough to curb the rising crime rates in Delhi. Kejriwal and his party have consistently criticized the current law enforcement framework, accusing the Union Government of turning Delhi into a “gangster capital.”
Bhatia, however, fired back, stating that it was clear from the recent developments that the AAP government, which he claimed was now in “exit mode” with elections approaching, was unable to prevent criminal activities from flourishing within its own ranks. He warned that the people of Delhi would not only vote out the AAP government but would also ensure that the party would not even have a presence in the opposition once the elections were concluded.
The timing of these allegations could have significant political ramifications, with both parties preparing for the upcoming elections. As AAP continues to target the Centre over law and order issues, the BJP’s allegations cast a shadow over its claims, especially as it has now tied the party’s alleged criminal activity to its own leadership.
The AAP has yet to respond to the BJP’s claims or the audio clip that was presented during the press conference. However, with the stakes high in the upcoming elections, the accusations from the BJP are sure to add fuel to the already heated political atmosphere in Delhi.
This latest round of political confrontation highlights the growing tensions between the BJP and AAP as both parties jockey for power ahead of crucial elections. With accusations flying on both sides, the question remains whether these allegations will have any lasting impact on public opinion, or whether they will be dismissed as political theatrics ahead of a highly charged election season.
