Recovery of ₹97 crore is BJP conspiracy, says Sisodia

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Friday claimed that a three-member panel’s recommendation about recovering ₹97 crore from the Delhi government for spending on advertisements was the BJP’s “political conspiracy”.

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who also holds the Information and Publicity portfolios, said that the AAP government was being “selectively targeted” even as no questions were being raised about advertisements issued by other State governments.

Mr. Sisodia added that the AAP government had not splurged, but tried to communicate the “good work” it had done. He added that the party would “continue to engage with people” through ads.

Hitting out at the BJP without naming the party, he claimed that the notice had been issued after the AAP announced that it would abolish property tax if it won the municipal elections next month.

‘Get votes by doing work’

“This is a political conspiracy by the BJP against the AAP ahead of the civic polls. If you (the BJP) want votes, then get it by doing good work instead of obstructing us from working,” Mr. Sisodia said.

Earlier this week, Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal had directed that ₹97 crore be recovered from the AAP. The money is said to have been allegedly “splurged” by the government on advertisements, in violation of the Supreme Court guidelines.

The Centre-appointed committee comprised adman Piyush Pandey, journalist Rajat Sharma and former Chief Election Commissioner B. B. Tandon.

“The Supreme Court guidelines did not give any power to the committee to order recovery of ad spending of any government. The court had also ordered that the committee should comprise people with impeachable neutrality and impartiality. However, two members of the committee have close links with the BJP,” Mr. Sisodia told the media on Friday.

Without naming former Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, he mentioned that even she had held a business summit in London. “Other State governments organise events in 5-star hotels outside their States, but no one questions that,” the Deputy Chief Minister said.