BJP Reacts To Arvind Kejriwal's "They Offered Deal" Claim To NDTV

The BJP today rubbished allegations that it offered Aam Aadmi Party Convenor Arvind Kejriwal a deal to spare his ministers Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain, who are embroiled in investigations by central agencies, if the Aam Aadmi Party pulled out of next month's Gujarat elections.

Calling it a "blatant lie", BJP spokesperson Syed Zafar Islam said it is merely a statement to mislead people and malign the image of the BJP. 

"He has misled the people of Delhi and the nation. He used Anna Hazare to come to power and later left him. He can mislead anyone to grab power," he said.

Arvind Kejriwal had at an NDTV Townhall yesterday claimed that after Manish Sisodia rejected their offer to be Delhi Chief Minister by leaving AAP, the BJP had approached him. 

"They have said if you leave Gujarat and don't contest there, we will spare both Satyendar Jain and Sisodia and drop all charges against them," he had said.

Asked who made the offer, Mr Kejriwal said, "How can I name one of my own... the offer has come through them... see they (BJP) never approach directly. They go from one to another, to another, to another, to a friend, and then the message reaches you."

The AAP chief said the BJP was scared of losing both Gujarat elections and the closely watched municipal polls in Delhi and had pulled out all stops to defeat his party.

He said the cases filed against Mr Sisodia over Delhi's now-revoked liquor sales policy and Mr Jain about proxy or 'hawala' transactions were fabricated.

Satyendar Jain has been in jail since his arrest in May over money laundering allegations.

The ED had arrested Mr Jain and two others in the money laundering case based on a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) FIR lodged against the AAP leader in 2017 under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Mr Jain is accused of having laundered money through four companies linked to him. He has denied the allegations.

Manish Sisodia is a prime accused in a case which involves alleged kickbacks to political leaders by private players in exchange for liquor shop licenses.

Elections to the 182-member Gujarat assembly are to be held in two phases - December 1 and 5 - with results on December 8.