Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena has ordered an Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) probe into Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) allegations that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) attempted to poach its candidates ahead of the Delhi Assembly election results on February 8. AAP chief and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal claimed that 16 party candidates received calls offering them Rs 15 crore and ministerial positions to defect. The BJP dismissed the allegations as baseless, accusing AAP of trying to damage its reputation before the results. The Lieutenant Governor stated that the seriousness of these claims warranted a formal investigation to determine the facts.
Kejriwal further alleged that exit polls predicting a BJP win were being used to pressure AAP candidates into switching sides. He questioned why the BJP would attempt to lure candidates if they were confident of victory, calling the exit polls a “conspiracy” to create an atmosphere conducive to defections. Supporting Kejriwal’s claims, AAP leader Atishi also challenged the BJP, stating that if they were truly poised to win over 50 seats, there would be no need to reach out to AAP candidates. She suggested that the manipulated exit polls aimed to demoralize AAP members and encourage defections.
Following AAP’s accusations, the BJP formally complained against these claims, prompting the Delhi LG to sanction an inquiry. A statement from Saxena’s office confirmed that the ACB would conduct a thorough investigation into the matter. Voting for all 70 Delhi Assembly seats concluded on Wednesday, with results set to be announced on February 8. The outcome will determine whether AAP secures a third consecutive term in power or if the BJP finally breaks its 27-year-long wait to govern the national capital.
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