Arvind Kejriwal's Big 'Rs 15 Crore' Claim, BJP Hits Back With Legal Threat

Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal has accused the BJP of trying to poach his party candidates ahead of counting of votes for Delhi tomorrow. Hitting back, the BJP has threatened to take legal action if AAP doesn't drop the allegation.

Mr Kejriwal, who has vowed to return as Chief Minister if his party wins the February 5 elections, has claimed that 16 AAP candidates had received calls yesterday with an offer of Rs 15 crore to change sides.

"In the last two hours, 16 of our candidates have received calls that if they leave AAP and join their party, they will make them ministers and will give Rs. 15 crores to each of them," Mr Kejriwal said in an online post.

Pointing out that some exit polls have predicted the BJP will win more than 55 seats in the election, he wondered why they had to poach the rival candidates. "These fake surveys have been conducted with the sole purpose of pressuring some candidates. But not even one of our men will bend," he said.

Delhi minister Mukesh Ahlawat, AAP candidate from Sultanpur Majra, echoed the party chief's claims and said he too received an offer to change sides.

"I got a call from this number. I was told that their government was being formed, and they would make me a minister and give me Rs 15 crore if I left AAP and joined them. But due to the respect that Mr Kejriwal and the AAP have given me, I will never leave my party till my death," he said in an online post.

Sharing his post, Chief Minister Atishi said the exit polls - predicting an AAP rout - are a conspiracy to break the party MLAs.

AAP leader Sanjay Singh had raised similar allegations earlier in the day and said, "This clearly shows that the BJP has accepted its defeat even before the results."

Rejecting the allegation, BJP Delhi chief Virendra Sachdeva said the AAP claims are a result of their "frustration" as they stare at electoral defeat. "Sanjay Singh should either retract his allegations and tender an apology or face legal action," Mr Sachdeva said.

The BJP leader also asked Mr Singh not to forget that Mr Kejriwal is already facing a defamation case.

Delhi voted on February 5 to choose its next government and the votes will be counted tomorrow. The BJP has been tipped to win by a majority of exit polls, but health warning: exit polls often get it wrong.