A total of 53 AAP MLAs out of 62 attended a meeting convened by party supremo and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday to discuss alleged poaching attempts by the BJP, sources said.
The meeting that was scheduled to begin at 11 am was concluded within a few minutes, they said, adding that all the 62 legislators of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Delhi were contacted ahead of the meeting at Kejriwal's residence.
Several AAP MLAs went incommunicado right ahead of a crucial meeting convened by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal at his residence on Thursday to discuss alleged poaching attempts by the BJP, sources in the party said.
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"We were not able to contact some of our MLAs as they were probably stuck in traffic, but we want to assure the people of Delhi that the AAP government will not fall. I want to assure you that all the legislators would be present at the meeting," senior party leader Saurabh Bhardwaj had told reporters outside the chief minister's residence.
The sources said all the 62 Delhi MLAs of the Aam Aam Party (AAP) were called for the meeting.
Refusing to divulge the names of the legislators who could not be contacted, one of the sources said, "Let them get in touch with us first."
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Four AAP MLAs who had claimed on Wednesday that they were approached by BJP leaders with an offer to switch sides said they were told that the saffron party was in touch with "20-25 MLAs" of the Kejriwal-led party
The Kejriwal government has also convened a special session of the Delhi Assembly on Friday over CBI, ED probes, raids targeting its ministers and the "poaching" efforts made by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
AAP MLAs thretened, bribed by BJP
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said some of his MLAs have approached him alleging that they have been threatened and offered bribes to break the party and the AAP's political affairs committee will meet on Wednesday to take stock of the situation.
"Some MLAs have approached me and told me that they have been threatened, offered bribes to break the party. This is a very serious matter. We will have a political affairs committee meeting over the issue at 4 pm today to take stock of the situation," he told reporters.
A couple of days back, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia who is facing a CBI probe in connection with alleged corruption in the implementation of Excise Policy 2021-22, had claimed that he was offered the CM's post by the BJP and a withdrawal of all cases, if he quit AAP.
AAP's national spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh said the legislators -- Ajay Dutt, Sanjeev Jha, Somnath Bharati and Kuldeep -- have been approached by leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) with whom they have "friendly relations".
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"They have been offered Rs 20 crore each if they join the party and Rs 25 crore if they bring other MLAs along with them," Singh said. Kejriwal was questioned about these claims at an event to flag off 97 electric buses. On being questioned about the CBI raids, he said the probe and raids will continue till the Gujarat Assembly elections slated later this year.
(With PTI Inputs)
The BJP has challenged the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to reveal the names of those who allegedly contacted its MLAs with an offer to switch sides and charged that the Kejriwal-led party is trying hard to divert attention from the Delhi government's liquor "scam".
