Punjab AAP alleges BJP offered Rs 20-25 cr to its MLAs to topple govt

The ruling AAP in Punjab on Tuesday accused the BJP of offering Rs 20-25 crore each to its 10 MLAs in an attempt to topple the Bhagwant Mann government in the state.

Addressing the media here, Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema alleged that under the BJP's 'Operation Lotus', some AAP legislators in the state had been approached by the people from the BJP.

The senior AAP leader claimed that seven to 10 AAP MLAs have been approached with offers of money and ministerial positions.

No immediate reaction from the BJP came to the allegation of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

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“Our MLAs in Punjab are being contacted. They are being contacted telephonically by some people of the BJP who were sent by the BJP's central leadership to break our legislators away from the party,” said Cheema.

"They approached our MLAs and told them that their meeting will be arranged with big leaders in Delhi, and also offered them Rs 25 crore each,” he said.

The state finance minister further alleged that the legislators were also asked to bring more MLAs along and in that case, more money will be given.

He alleged that the BJP was trying to “buy” AAP MLAs in Punjab while claiming that such attempts had earlier failed in Delhi where it had targeted the AAP legislators.

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For the past week, attempts were being made regularly to “buy” legislators, he said.

“Seven to 10 MLAs were approached directly or indirectly by the BJP through its people,” he said while refusing to name the MLAs who were allegedly approached.

Among those people from the BJP who approached the AAP MLAs included some from Punjab and others from Delhi, Cheema claimed, adding the party will present the proof in this regard at an appropriate time.