'Why confidence motion?' Arvind Kejriwal explains, links 'Op Lotus' to inflation

Delhi assembly session has confidence motion as one of the key agendas on Monday.

Arvind Kejriwal on Monday launched an all-out attack on the central government as he alleged that the BJP - instead of focusing on public welfare - was helping its "billionaire friends". He also linked the collapse of the non-BJP governments in the states - over the last few years - to inflation.

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal speaks in the assembly.  (ANI)

“Each time a government's collapse is planned, fuel prices go up. The governments collapsed in Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh… and now it may happen in Jharkhand," Arvind Kejriwal said. In Jharkhand, CM Hemant Soren is facing disqualification in the assembly amid row over the office-of-profit case.

The Delhi chief minister - who over the last week has repeated several times that the rival party tried to “buy” his party’s MLAs - on Monday yet again said that the “Operation Lotus” has failed in the national capital. “They kept ₹800 crore to buy the legislators but the operation has failed,” he said.

"Operation Lotus" is a term often used by the opposition parties while accusing the BJP of targeting the elected governments.

As he tabled the confidence motion, Arvind Kejriwal, whose AAP has a huge majority, explained the reason behind the move. “They asked me why it was required - the confidence motion. But this is to show that this government stands strong and holds its ground,” he said.

Kejriwal also targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi, yet again. “It is said from the ramparts of the Red Fort that corruption would be removed…yet this is the most corruption government in independent India.” As soon as the session had started, BJP MLAs were marshalled out of the assembly after they jumped into the well of the house. Even after Kejriwal's speech, AAP members were seen protesting against the Centre.