Digital Desk: The Aam Aadmi Party today claimed to have
audio-visual evidence of the BJP's efforts to persuade its legislators in
Punjab to switch sides. All of it has been presented to the Punjab police, a
case has been filed, and the details will be made public in due course,
according to the party, which has been locked in a battle with the Governor of
Punjab since yesterday over a proposed trust vote.
"We have audio and video evidence of the BJP offering money
to AAP legislators. We met with the Punjab DGP and submitted this evidence, and
a FIR was also filed... We will bring the BJP to justice. We are not Congress
"Raghav Chadha, a senior AAP leader, stated today. "Don't worry; we
will not disappoint anyone. We have all of the evidence and will make it public
as soon as possible "In the exclusive interview, he added.
The AAP's claim of a "Operation Lotus" in Punjab has
put it on a collision course with the Governor for the last two days. The party
has dug in its heels after Governor Banwarilal Purohit turned down the government's
call for a special session of the assembly for a trust vote yesterday – two
days after he summoned a special session on September 22.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has called a meeting of MLAs,
calling the Governor's decision a "murder of democracy."
"Today, the Governor of the state of Punjab has become a
party to the BJP's Operation Lotus," Mr Chadha said. "The BJP called
several of our MLAs in Punjab and said, "We will give you 25 crore rupees
each, plus a ministerial berth or a fancy chairmanship, and you cross
over." The deadline is December 31, 2022 "he added
"The Governor is not a headmaster and cannot dictate what
can and cannot be brought to the house," Mr Chadha added.
"It is completely unconstitutional and illegal for him to
withdraw the summons he issued. If there is no provision for us to call a
confidence vote, why did the Governor agree in the first place...? The Governor
is bound by the Council of Ministers' assistance and advice "Mr Chadha was
one of the architects of the AAP's landslide victory in Punjab earlier this
year.
In this context, he cited states, including Punjab, where
the ruling government sought a trust vote, refuting the claim that this
provision is not in the rulebook.
In Delhi, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal won a majority test
last month after accusing the BJP of carrying out "Operation Lotus"
to bring down the AAP government.
"How can the Governor refuse a cabinet-called meeting?
Then democracy will be over. The Governor granted permission for the session
two days ago. When Operation Lotus began to fail and the number was not
completed, a call came from above requesting that the permission be revoked
"Mr. Kejriwal stated.
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