NEW DELHI: Amid horse-trading allegations, the BJP Thursday claimed it was in touch with 14 AAP legislators who wanted to leave the ruling party in Delhi due to “frustration and humiliation”. Senior BJP leader and Union minister Vijay Goel said the AAP MLAs were “deeply distressed” and ready to quit the party.
The AAP has accused the saffron party of indulging in horse-trading in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.
“14 of the AAP MLAs are in contact with us and they might soon leave the party because they are frustrated by the work of their own party,” Goel said in a press conference.
AAP leader and Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Wednesday alleged the BJP was offering Rs 10 crore each to its seven MLAs to switch sides.
“Since the BJP does not have any development issue to raise, it has now come down to indulging in horse-trading by attempting to buy seven of our MLAs at Rs 10 crore each,” he said.
Meanwhile, Goel said Sisodia had himself maintained that his party MLAs were “saleable” and would take a “bribe” of Rs 10 crore.
The Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs added that Sisodia’s allegation was “absolutely false”, and asked the AAP leader to produce evidence to support his charge.
The BJP leader said many AAP MLAs have already rebelled against the leadership and were “sidelined” in the party. PTI