AAP's Vishwas says BJP offered him CM's post to switch over

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Kumar Vishwas said on Saturday that the BJP offered him Delhi’s chief ministerial post if he joined the saffron party to form a government in the capital.

“On May 19, a BJP member of parliament, who is also an old friend, had come to my house after elections. I thought he had come to give me a courtesy call, but he offered me to join the BJP. He said he would make me the party’s candidate for the chief minister’s post,” Vishwas told a news channel.

He said the MP told him that 12 AAP MLAs were ready to support if he chose to side with the BJP. 

Vishwas said he promptly declined the offer and informed party chief Arvind Kejriwal about the offer. He, however, declined to name the MP who visited him at his Ghaziabad residence.

Confirming Vishwas’ claims, party leader Sanjay Singh said the MP and Bhojpuri actor Manoj Tiwari had met his party colleague in May.

Validating Vishwas’ decision to go public with the accusation, the party in a Tweet said: “The AAP has consistently said that the BJP in its desperation to form a government has been using all tricks to approach our leaders but failed. The AAP has provided evidence whenever a specific news has broken out.”

The BJP reacted sharply to the allegation.

Delhi BJP president Satish Upadhyay said, “This incident supposedly happened in May and raising it now is not a political step, rather it is an attempt by him to gain TRP.”

“I never made any such offer to Kumar Vishwas. He is my old fried. He is an artist and so am I. As a friend I have met him but never discussed anything relating to politics or the alleged offer, which is being played by the party,” Tiwari said.