The Aam Aadmi Party on Tuesday said it was in touch with several MLAs holding a key to the power puzzle in Delhi to prevent the BJP from forming a government here.
The list, said party convenor Arvind Kejriwal, included “honest people” from within the BJP, besides Congressmen and Independents.
Mr. Kejriwal disclosed this at a press conference held a day after the AAP released its sting, in which a senior BJP leader is shown allegedly offering money to party MLA Dinesh Mohania in exchange for resigning from the Delhi Assembly and claims to have made similar offers to others as well.
The AAP convenor, however, clarified that the party was not looking to make another bid at Delhi’s chair, which it had abandoned in February after a 49-day stint in power.
“I want to make it very clear that the AAP is in touch with MLAs from all the parties, as well as Independents like Rambir Shokeen from Mundka. We will also speak to Shoaib Iqbal and [expelled AAP MLA] Vinod Kumar Binny and people from the Congress. Some honest MLAs from the BJP are also in talks with us to prevent their own party from forming the government,” Mr. Kejriwal said.
Both Mr. Shokeen and Mr. Iqbal said they had been approached by the AAP in a bid to stop the BJP from forming a government, a cause the latter claimed he himself was committed to. Mr. Iqbal also mooted the idea that all those opposed to a government formed by horse trading could be paraded before the President.
On reports of BJP leaders themselves being in talks with AAP MLAs for the very cause his party is opposing, Mr. Kejriwal said he was aware of who these MLAs were. The AAP leader reiterated that his flock was still together and collectively opposed any such overtures from the BJP.
“If they form the government by using dishonest means, it will a shameful exercise and amount to the betrayal to the people of Delhi. I don’t understand why are they afraid of going for fresh elections despite winning all seven seats in the Lok Sabha,” said Mr. Kejriwal.
