Delhi crime branch officers visited Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence to serve him a notice regarding his recent claims that the BJP attempted to poach seven AAP MLAs. According to news agency ANI, the Delhi Police notice requested Kejriwal to provide evidence supporting the allegations he made.

Additionally, the officers also visited the residence of Delhi Minister Atishi, neither Kejriwal nor Atishi was present at the time. Last week, Kejriwal took to social media, asserting that seven of his party's MLAs had been approached by the BJP. The BJP promptly dismissed these allegations as baseless. Now, the Delhi crime branch has taken up the case for further investigation.

Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva responded to Kejriwal's allegations, stating, "This reflects Kejriwal's growing political desperation. His baseless claim is an endeavour to sustain his political relevance. The assertion that the BJP seeks to lure away MLAs from the ruling AAP, which currently holds 62 out of 70 seats in Delhi, is indicative of his intellectual bankruptcy."

The recent unannounced visit to Kejriwal's residence by law enforcement coincides with his scrutiny by the Enforcement Directorate concerning the liquor scam. Kejriwal has refrained from responding to five summons from the agency, citing them as unconstitutional.

Another source of tension between the AAP and the BJP emerged during the Chandigarh mayor election. The AAP staged a protest in the capital, alleging malpractice in the election. Simultaneously, the BJP held a protest, calling for Kejriwal's resignation due to perceived corruption within his government.

During the protest, Kejriwal asserted that cheating in the Chandigarh mayoral election was captured on camera. He expressed concern, stating, "If such irregularities can occur in the Chandigarh mayoral polls, one can only imagine what might transpire in Lok Sabha and assembly elections. They may compromise the country for political gain, but we are determined to prevent it. Our objective is to safeguard democracy and the nation," Kejriwal stated.

Kejriwal made statements on X, claiming that 'they' had reached out to 7 AAP MLAs, asserting that his imminent arrest would be followed by the horse-trading of MLAs. According to Kejriwal, 'they' claimed to have already contacted 21 MLAs and were in the process of approaching the remaining members. Allegedly, offers of ₹25 crore were extended to each MLA, as per Kejriwal's allegations.

Contrary to their assertion of engaging with 21 MLAs, Kejriwal stated, "According to our information, they contacted seven MLAs, and all of them declined." Kejriwal inferred that this indicates his non-involvement in the liquor investigation arrest, but rather suggests a concerted effort to destabilize the AAP government.

He remarked, "Such conspiracies are not unprecedented, they attempted it in the past but were never successful. We have consistently received support from both the public and a higher power."

Image source: Times of India