Excise scam to giving leeway to power companies: BJP's '400-day plan' to uproot AAP

Several BJP leaders and party workers on Friday held a protest in the national capital against the AAP government's now-scrapped liquor policy, which coincided with Manish Sisodia's appearance at court.

Many believe this is the saffron party's '400-day plan' to uproot the Arvind Kejriwal-led party both from the city and from national politics.

Also Read: BJP holds protest against Delhi government over now-scrapped liquor policy

Speaking to The Indian Express, sources familiar with the matter said this is BJP's plan to corner the Aam Aadmi Party on grounds of 10 specific allegations of corruption in government departments, in the run-up to the 2024 Lok Sabha Polls. The allegations include the excise scam, giving ‘leeway to power companies’ in regard to subsidy, ‘classroom scam’, etc.

“We will spend the next 400 days, till the Lok Sabha elections next May, pitching the Chief Minister as the face of corruption in Delhi who has so far hidden behind his cabinet colleagues. The campaign will continue daily till the 2025 Delhi Assembly polls,” a party leader said.

Other issues include an alleged scam related to annual maintenance contract of DTC buses, alleged registration of ghost construction workers being investigated by Anti-Corruption Branch, alleged scam in the DJB, in construction of temporary hospitals and the feedback unit.

Also Read: Sisodia arrest: AAP resorts to Indian epics, BJP draws inspiration from Bollywood to slam each other

Deeming AAP's second-tier leadership as 'non-existent', a source from the BJP claimed that the party is already reeling under an organisational crisis, owing to arrests of former ministers Satyendar Jain and Manish Sisodia.

“We intend to capitalise on this to stoke resentment within the AAP’s ranks by pitching how these formerly close aides of Kejriwal have now been left to fend for themselves by being made to resign from their posts as soon as they became a liability for the Chief Minister…,” the source added.

Former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia was arrested by the CBI on February 26 in connection with alleged corruption in the formulation and implementation of the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy for 2021-22. He is in judicial custody till March 20. While Satyendar Jain, who is also in judicial custody, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in a case of alleged money laundering on May 30 last year.