New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Wednesday accused the BJP of indulging in horse-trading and said that it offered Rs 10 crore each to at least seven of its MLAs for joining the saffron party ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.
Speaking to the media, AAP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said, "The BJP has contacted at least seven of our MLAs and offered them Rs 10 crore to leave the party before the Lok Sabha elections. It is in touch with more MLAs, but seven of them informed us."
According to Sisodia, if the BJP was doing such things it reflected the AAP's government's success. "Delhi has a government, which is working to resolve the problems faced by the people here. So the BJP does not have any issues to contest the elections. And their false issues are not bought by the public," he said.
AAP's Delhi head Gopal Rai said that the BJP was desperate as all its seven MP were losing the Lok Sabha polls.
Delhi goes to polls in the sixth phase of Lok Sabha elections on May 12. Assembly elections in the state are also scheduled for later this year.
Sisodia said that the BJP should contest the elections on its own and on the work done by it. "I want to tell the BJP, (its President) Amit Shah and (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi, if you have courage, fight the elections on issues. But please don't try to buy the AAP MLAs," he said.
The Deputy Chief Minister also said that it will not be easy for the saffron party to buy AAP MLAs as they would inform their party about it. "Before the MCD elections, the BJP managed to buy our MLA from Bawana, but people taught it a good lesson. So I want to tell the BJP that if it has an agenda to change the country it should focus on that."
Referring to Modi's comment that 40 Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLAs in West Bengal were in touch with him, Sisodia said, "They are trying to do with AAP MLA in Delhi what they're attempting with TMC MLAs in West Bengal. The PM trying to weaken the democracy by purchasing Oppposition MLAs. Does it look good? I want to ask Modi. Have some shame and respect democracy," Sisodia added.
Rai said: "The party has repeatedly shown that it does not believe in democracy and the Constitution. I urge people of Delhi to teach the BJP a lesson."