BJP tried to buy 10 Punjab AAP MLAs for Rs 25 crore each, claims Arvind Kejriwal

NEW DELHI: Delhi Chief Minister and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday accused the BJP of attempting to buy 10 party MLAs in Punjab by offering them Rs 25 crore each.

"Yesterday (Tuesday) we came to know that they (BJP) tried to buy MLAs in Punjab by offering them Rs 25 crore each. Our 10 MLAs were approached in Punjab and all of them will address a press conference today (Wednesday) and expose them (BJP)," Kejriwal alleged in a press conference. "They are buying MLAs and breaking governments, which is dangerous for democracy," he said.

He alleged that the BJP was running "Operation Lotus" to buy MLAs in every state, either through money or the fear of agencies like the Central Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement Directorate.

The BJP is utilising public money to buy the legislators due to which inflation is rising in the country, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief claimed.

Kejriwal also hit out at the Congress after eight of its MLAs in Goa switched over to the BJP, saying it has failed to prevent its MLAs from being poached.

"The party which is buying MLAs and is doing wrong is a danger for democracy but the Congress is also at fault. Why only Congress MLAs get poached? Why can't they buy our MLAs despite their attempts?" Kejriwal said. "They tried to buy our MLAs in Delhi and now in Punjab but we exposed them (BJP)," he added.

Eight Congress MLAs in Goa, including former chief minister Digambar Kamat, on Wednesday joined the ruling BJP, in a body blow to the opposition party which is now left with just three MLAs in the 40-member state Assembly.