Despite facing ridicule from his own party, Aam Aadmi Party leader Amanatullah Khan said he stands by the remarks he has made against his colleague Kumar Vishvas.
Talking to The Hindu on Monday, Mr. Khan said that Mr. Vishvas has a group of confidants, including a Cabinet Minister, who have taken huge sums of money from the BJP to instigate AAP MLAs to defect.
“There are four main MLAs, whom I will name in due time. They also had a meeting with Mr. Vishvas at his house on Sunday. They are hand-in-glove with the BJP,” Mr. Khan said.
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He also alleged that the BJP was offering ₹30 crore to each MLA for ditching the AAP and joining them. “I am raising my voice only because I want to counter the forces trying to damage the party from within,” said Mr. Khan, adding that he sees only Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal as the party’s leader.
Just hours after Mr. Khan launched his attack on Mr. Vishvas, Delhi Food and Supplies Minister Imran Hussain tweeted: “Amanatullah has lost his mental balance”.
Over 30 MLAs from Delhi and Punjab have written to Mr. Kejriwal demanding Mr. Khan’s expulsion. “…we request immediate stringent disciplinary action amounting to Mr. Khan’s expulsion be taken,” the letter read.
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‘Give proof’
Several MLAs have said that if Mr. Khan has any proof of his allegations, he should produce it before the PAC. They also said that if Mr. Khan fails to produce concrete evidence, he should step down. As the matter gained momentum, Deputy CM Manish Sisodia and senior AAP leader Sanjay Singh held a two-hour meeting with Mr. Vishvas.
Sources said that Mr. Sisodia told Mr. Vishvas to not be perturbed by any statements. “The idea is to send out a message that we are one unit and that we should not give in to attempts to disintegrate us,” a senior party leader said.