AAP, BJP engage in blame game, allege poaching of councillors in MCD

The blame game between the AAP and the BJP has begun just three days after the announcement of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) poll results, with both sides alleging poaching of councillors by the other party.

BJP leaders including national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala and Delhi unit media cell head Harish Khurana at a press conference here on Saturday alleged the AAP of trying to poach the party’s newly elected councillors.

Poonawala alleged a “new model” of the AAP -- “Pralobhan for Parshad” (alluring councillors) -- has come to the fore.

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Khurana claimed that an "agent" of Kejriwal was trying to induce the BJP councillors to switch to the AAP.

He said there was “evidence” of poaching attempts by the AAP.

The allegations of the BJP have come close to two Congress councillors joining the AAP on Friday. The deserters, however, came back to their party hours after switching to the AAP.

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The AAP leaders have also accused the BJP of making efforts to poach councillors of the party amid speculations that the saffron party may make efforts to get its mayor elected in the MCD House.

The AAP ended BJP’s 15-year rule at the civic body bagging 134 of 250 Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) wards, the results of which were declared on Wednesday.

The BJP lost the MCD polls at the hands of the AAP managing to win 104 wards.