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New Delhi: On Friday, the Election Commission was served a notice to Delhi Minister Atishi, seeking a response on her ‘join BJP or face jail’ claim. The Election Commission has sent a notice to Delhi Minister Atishi following her statement urging people to join the BJP or face imprisonment.
The poll body has sought a response from her by Monday (April 8), 12 noon. The Commission has asked her to explain her comments, which have stirred controversy and raised concerns about electoral integrity.
On April 2, Atishi said four senior leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), including herself, would be arrested soon. She alleged that the BJP had approached her through intermediaries, threatening arrest by the Enforcement Directorate if she refused to join the party.
At a press conference, Atishi claimed that she, Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj, MLA Durgesh Pathak and Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha would be arrested. Following her statement, the BJP issued a defamation notice to Atishi.
Meanwhile, Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva dismissed Atishi’s claims, accusing her of falsehoods and implicating AAP members in a purported “liquor scam.” The entire Aam Aadmi Party was involved in the “liquor scam” and its leaders were fighting among themselves over the apprehension about who would be the next “sacrificial lamb”, he said.
In a statement, the Delhi BJP chief said, “Since Kejriwal has stated that the excise policy case accused and AAP leader Vijay Nair, who is in jail, used to report to Atishi and Bharadwaj, the AAP leaders are fighting among them. Atishi by saving her skin has led Chadha and Pathak in trouble.”
Arvind Kejriwal was arrested on March 21 in connection with a money laundering case linked to the now-scrapped excise policy of his government. He was on Monday sent to judicial custody till April 15 by a city court. The AAP has accused the BJP of attempting to destabilize the Delhi government by enticing its legislators to defect.
The AAP’s Kirari MLA Rituraj Jha claimed he was offered Rs 25 crore to join the saffron party. Atishi’s response to the Election Commission’s notice is eagerly awaited, as it may shed light on the veracity of her claims and the underlying political tensions between the AAP and BJP in Delhi.
