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AAP Reveals Names of 11 MLAs Offered ‘Bribes’ by BJP to Topple Punjab Govt

Harpal Singh Cheema

AAP has filed a formal complaint along with all proofs to Director General of Punjab Gaurav Yadav for a fair probe into threats and money offers to its legislators.

CHANDIGARH — A day after raking up allegations against the BJP’s Central government for attempting to destabilise the AAP government in Punjab by offering hefty sums to its legislators, state Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Wednesday revealed the names of 11 legislators who were tried to be ‘allured’.

The legislators were Dinesh Chadha, Raman Arora, Budh Ram, Kulwant Pandori, Narinder Kaur Bharaj, Rajnish Dahiya, Rupinder Singh Happy, Sheetal Angural, Manjit Singh Bilaspur, Labh Singh Ugoke and Baljinder Kaur.

However, the BJP dismissed the allegation by saying AAP was attempting to divert public attention from its governance failures.

Cheema alleged that even legislator Angural was given death threats.

“He’s not the only one. Some of the other MLAs were also given death threats by the agents of the BJP, he alleged. Thirty-five legislators have been approached and 10 of these have been issued death threats, he said.

“I am taking these MLAs to meet the DGP, requesting him to investigate the matter. We are going to request him to file an FIR. We are submitting all proof against them, the minister added.

Addressing the media here, Cheema on Tuesday said under ‘Operation Lotus’ many leaders and agents of the BJP from Delhi and Punjab have approached at least 10 AAP MLAs on phone in the past seven days and offered Rs 25 crore to each to quit AAP and join the BJP.

He said they were offering to arrange meetings of AAP MLAs with Babu-ji (a top BJP leader) and also promised them Cabinet ministerial ranks after the BJP form the government in the state.

Lambasting the Modi government, Cheema said the BJP “is working as a serial killer in Punjab, and anti-national powers have joined forces to overthrow the AAP government in Punjab as they are unable to digest the dynamic functioning of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann-led government in the state.”

“After using central investigation agencies against AAP leaders and offering money to MLAs in Delhi, now the BJP is attempting to buy MLAs in Punjab,” Cheema said.

He said the BJP “is a serial killer which is bringing down the governments in every state one by one by coercing opposition party leaders with agencies and money. The next target in this murder of democracy under ‘Operation Lotus’ is Punjab.”

“Wherever the BJP loses, these people form their government by breaking MLAs with help of the CBI, the ED and money. They did it in Goa, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Arunachal Pradesh. Now, they are doing it in Punjab,” Cheema said.

Complaint filed to Punjab DGP about money offers to MLAs

Amid allegations of BJP attempting to bring down the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab, the AAP on Wednesday said it has filed a formal complaint along with all proofs to Director General of Punjab Gaurav Yadav for a fair probe into threats and money offers to its legislators.

It lashed out at the saffron party, calling it a “serial killer” of democracy and condemned “Operation Lotus” for the “dubious manner” in which elected governments in the country are being brought down.

State Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema told media that the BJP has “murdered democracy” by toppling elected governments in various states after “using” central investigation agencies and through money lures.

It tried the same in Punjab, but the staunch soldiers of AAP foiled the BJP’s “nefarious agenda”.

He alleged BJP agents and workers from Delhi and Punjab have “tried to break” 35 MLAs of AAP to topple the government in Punjab.

Cheema said a complaint against BJP leaders and agents has been submitted before the DGP for “offering Rs 25 crore each to at least 10 MLAs in the state and also giving life threat to Jalandhar West MLA Sheetal Angural and others for exposing their wicked agendas before the public”.

Stating that the BJP is baffled with “growing popularity” of AAP and its supremo Arvind Kejriwal, he said the BJP is now afraid of Kejriwal and is trying to stop him by any means.

“The work of horse-trading adopted by the BJP has been going on in different states of the country. The BJP under its Operation Lotus had earlier changed governments in Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Arunachal Pradesh.

“In latest target under Operation Lotus, eight MLAs of Congress have shifted to the BJP in Goa today. It is a testament that BJP is killing democracy and forming their government in non-BJP ruled states by breaking MLAs with help of the CBI and the ED,” Cheema said. — IANS

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