BJP trying to topple AAP government in Punjab, offering Rs 25 crore to MLAs: Minister

Chandigarh, September 13

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of trying to bring down the Bhagwant Mann-led government in Punjab by wooing its MLAs.

The Punjab BJP dubbed the allegations as “baseless” and “bundle of lies” and said AAP is trying to divert attention of people from its “failures”.

Addressing a press conference here today, Punjab’s Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema alleged that BJP was using central agencies as well as money power to woo the AAP MLAS as part of its ‘Operation Lotus’, which in the past it has tried in Maharashtra, MP, Goa, Delhi and Rajasthan.

“Our MLAs have been approached with offers of up to Rs 25 crore to break away from AAP. The MLAs were told: “bade bau ji se milwayenge”. These MLAs have also been offered big posts. They were told that if you get more MLAs along, you would be given upto Rs 75 crore,” said Cheema.

The state finance minister further alleged, “They were told if you bring three-four MLAs, then you will be offered Rs 50-70 crore.” Cheema said when one of the party MLAs asked how it would topple the government of AAP which has 92 MLAs, they were told that they just needed 35 MLAs to topple the government as they were in touch with legislators from other parties.

He alleged that the Congress MLAs were “bought” in Madhya Pradesh and other states. “May be here also they are in touch with them (Congress MLAs),” he alleged.

He accused the ruling party at Centre of keeping Rs 1375 crore in the state for breaking 55 MLAs away in Punjab. Also, CBI and ED are being used to wean away MLAs, he said.

Cheema said seven to ten MLAs have been approached directly for the deal. He, however, refused to disclose the names of MLAs approached by the BJP. Cheema said the party’s legal cell is looking into the matter, and at this stage he would not like to disclose the names.

At the press conference, Cheema was accompanied by party MLAs Sheetal Angural, Manjit Singh Bilaspur, Raman Arora, Labh Singh Ugoke and Rupinder Singh Happy.

Punjab BJP general secretary Jeevan Gupta, while slamming AAP for its allegations, said, “The AAP government has failed in fulfilling its guarantees and when people ask questions about them, they try to divert attention by making such false accusations.” BJP leader Anil Sareen asked Cheema to immediately make public from where their MLAs received calls and who tried to lure them. He demanded that either Cheema should publicly declare phone numbers from where the calls were received or quit his post.  (with PTI Inputs)