Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs in Delhi will meet the CBI director on Wednesday to demand a probe into the alleged ‘Operation Lotus’ of the BJP to topple opposition ruled state governments, party leader Atishi said.
A delegation of 10 AAP MLAs will meet the CBI director at 3 PM, Atishi said at a press conference. Meanwhile, the MLAs protested in front of Gandhi statue and burnt effigies of the BJP.
AAP leaders including Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal have claimed that the BJP targeted 40 MLAs of the ruling party in Delhi offering them Rs 20 crore each to switch sides. Atishi alleged that whenever the BJP loses assembly elections in any state, its ‘Operation Lotus’ begins with the use of the CBI and ED to corner the opposition government there.
Thereafter, the ruling party MLAs are offered money and promised withdrawing cases against them if they left their party and joined the BJP, she alleged further.
The BJP has dismissed the allegations.
Delhi Assembly proceedings were adjourned till Thursday following slogan shouting by ruling AAP MLAs who demanded a CBI probe into the alleged “Operation Lotus” by the BJP.
As soon as the House assembled for a discussion on the confidence motion on Wednesday, BJP MLA Vijender Gupta asked Deputy Speaker Rakhi Birla to take up his calling attention motion, even as AAP MLA Atishi tried to raise the issue of alleged “Operation Lotus” of the BJP.
Members of both sides shouted slogans, prompting Birla to adjourn the House till 11.30 am. Gupta’s calling attention motion concerned alleged corruption in the construction of classrooms in Delhi government schools.
When the House reconvened, Gupta asked Birla under which rule she allowed Atishi to make a statement on issues other than the no-confidence motion. Atishi alleged that the BJP is an “anti-women party as its members do not allow a woman to speak while another woman is in the chair”.
She alleged that the BJP tried to de-establish the Delhi government through its “Operation Lotus which involves three steps — using central agencies (ED, CBI, Income Tax department), scaring ruling party MLAs and luring them”.
“Our MLAs were offered Rs 20 crore to Rs 25 crore to leave the AAP. Is this the democracy the prime minister talks about from the Red Fort. This is not the first time they are doing so. They did the same in Manipur, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh,” she alleged.
“The BJP has bought 277 MLAs for Rs 6,300 crore under the ‘Operation Lotus’. They collected this money by increasing fuel prices,” she alleged.
AAP MLA Durgesh Pathak said, “We welcome and support BJP MPs demand for probe into AAP MLAs’ poaching allegations.” Party MLA Kuldeep Kumar alleged that when he refused the BJP’s offer of Rs 20 crore, “they threatened to frame me and send behind the bars in a fake case”.
AAP MLAs raised slogans, demanding CBI probe into alleged “Operation Lotus”, following which the House was adjourned for the day. This was the third day of the special session that was disrupted with ruling AAP and opposition BJP MLAs forcing adjournments.
The session had begun on Friday.
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