Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) senior leader and Delhi minister Atishi on Tuesday claimed that she’s being pressured to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to save her political career and if this doesn’t happen then she would be arrested in a month.
She said at a media conference in Delhi, “BJP through one of my close aides approached me to join their party to save my political career and If I do not join the BJP then in the coming one month I will be arrested by ED…”
She makes this allegation after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) named her in the alleged Delhi excise policy case. It may be recalled that Delhi Chief Minister Aravind Kejriwal was also arrested a month after he revealed that BJP is threatening to ally with Congress.
Atishi’s claim raises several critical questions. Is this a calculated move by the BJP to weaken the AAP ahead of the elections? Or is it a genuine concern for her safety? The stakes are high, and the political landscape is fraught with tension.
The central agency had told the special court on Monday that Vijay Nair – former media-incharge of the party – reported to Atishi and Saurabh Bhardwaj and not to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
The Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Solicitor General SV Raju had named the senior leaders during Arvind Kejriwal’s remand hearing before the special court of Kaveri Baweja.
Atishi said, “After the ED arrested the top four leaders of the party, they are now planning to put the next in-line leaders behind. They will now arrest me, Saurabh Bhardwaj, Durgesh Pathak and Raghav Chaddha.”
“In the coming two months before the Lok Sabha elections, they will arrest four more AAP leaders – Saurabh Bharadwaj, Atishi, Durgesh Pathak and Raghav Chadha…,” Atishi added.
