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Offered money to join BJP, claim three Punjab AAP MLAs
The charge was levelled by three AAP MLAs— Jagdeep Singh Goldy Kamboj, Amandeep Singh Musafir and Rajinder Pal Kaur Chhina — who alleged that the BJP, even after the implementation of the model code of conduct, was trying to poach MLAs and other leaders of the party in Punjab
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Wednesday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of attempting to break the party by offering ₹20- ₹25 crore to its MLAs to switch sides.
The charge was levelled by three AAP MLAs— Jagdeep Singh Goldy Kamboj, Amandeep Singh Musafir and Rajinder Pal Kaur Chhina — who alleged that the BJP, even after the implementation of the model code of conduct, was trying to poach MLAs and other leaders of the party in Punjab. The three MLAs made the allegation minutes before AAP’s lone Lok Sabha MP Sushil Kumar Rinku, and Jalandhar West MLA Sheetal Angural joined the BJP in Delhi.
Addressing a press conference here, Jagdeep Singh Goldy Kamboj, a first-time MLA from Jalalabad, said he received a call from an international number on Tuesday, and the caller offered him money. “The call came from Cyprus, and the caller, who identified himself as Sewak Singh, offered me ₹20- ₹25 crore to join the BJP. He said I can tell any demand I have. I told him I don’t have any demand and my loyalty to AAP is not for sale,” he alleged.
He said they (BJP) have put (AAP national convener) Arvind Kejriwal behind bars and are now trying to break his team. “If they have to indulge in all this, what is the need to hold the elections,” he said, claiming that the BJP is scared of Kejriwal and AAP.
Chhina and Musafir, who also addressed the media, said that they too received calls with offers, which they rejected and told the callers that they would not leave the party.
“I told him that Kejriwal is an idea. He can be arrested but the thinking of lakhs of volunteers who have joined him cannot be changed. We are standing with him, and no one can buy us,” said Chhina, who represents Ludhiana South in the state assembly.
Musafir, MLA from Balluana, said he also got a call on Tuesday, and the caller asked him to join the BJP. “When I asked him why, he said, I would get ₹45 crore. I was offered whatever post I wanted and Y+ security,” he said.
In September 2022 also, the AAP in Punjab had accused the BJP of offering ₹20-25 crore each to its MLAs in an attempt to topple the party’s government in the state. Finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema had alleged that the BJP, under its ‘Operation Lotus’, approached 10 legislators with offers of ₹25 crore each and threatened Jalandhar West legislator Sheetal Angural for exposing their plan to topple the state government.
Cheema and some party MLAs later also met director general of police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav and filed a written complaint against BJP ‘leaders and agents’ for allegedly offering money to the party legislators. An FIR was registered at the Police Station State Crime, Mohali, on their complaint.
Reacting to poaching claims Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar said AAP is a double-faced party and is levelling such vague allegations.
“How much money had they offered to Rinku when he joined AAP last year, and how about money was paid to Raj Kumar Chabbewal, who recently joined AAP? AAP should clarify whether both (Rinku and Chabbewal) joined the party because of a change of heart or money. Nobody can tell a lie better than AAP. On one side they are accusing us of vendetta whereas they have sent police to Sheetal Angural’s house within minutes he joined BJP,” said Jakhar.
