New Delhi: Accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of trying to poach the AAP MLAs, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal sought a vote of confidence in the State Assembly's budget session on Friday. The motion will be discussed in Delhi Legislative Assembly on Saturday.
Seeking the vote of confidence in the Assembly, Kejriwal said, "Two MLAs had come to me saying they were contacted by BJP members offering them Rs 25 crore each. They were told that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will be arrested and the government will be toppled."
Claiming that the Delhi excise policy case was false, he alleged the BJP wanted to topple the AAP government. A Delhi court has asked Kejriwal to appear before it on February 17 on a complaint filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for skipping summons in an excise policy-linked case and noted that prima facie the AAP chief was "legally bound" to comply.
The ED had moved the court after Kejriwal skipped the fifth summons by the probe agency for questioning in a Delhi liquor policy-linked money laundering case.
Earlier, in a post on X in Hindi, Arvind Kejriwal said, "I will bring the vote of confidence in Delhi Assembly today." However, he did not specify the reason behind the move. The proceedings of the House will take place on Saturday and the motion will be taken up for discussion. The House has been adjourned till tomorrow. This is the fifth Budget session of the seventh Legislative Assembly of the National Capital Territory of Delhi.
The Budget session that convened on Thursday is expected to continue till February 21. Earlier, CM Kejriwal alleged that the BJP was conspiring to topple the Aam Aadmi Party government and that some of his party MLAs had been offered bribes to leave the party and break his government.
"Recently, they (BJP) have contacted our 7 MLAs from Delhi and said-We will arrest Kejriwal after a few days. After that, we will break the MLAs. Talks have been held with 21 MLAs. Talking to others as well. After that, we will topple the Aam Aadmi Party government in Delhi. You also come, we will give you Rs 25 crore and get you to contest the elections on BJP ticket," Kejriwal posted on X.
"Although they claim that they have contacted 21 MLAs, but as per our information, they have contacted only 7 MLAs so far and all of them have refused," Kejriwal said. (with agency inputs)
