BJP trashes AAP's 'poaching Councillors' charge; avers 'Kejriwal fears internal split'

BJP's Punjab election in-charge Gajendra Singh Shekhawat categorically refuted Raghav Chadha's allegation that his party is trying to poach AAP councillors in Chandigarh. While AAP got a big boost on Monday by emerging as the single-largest party in the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation by winning 14 out of 35 wards, BJP and Congress won 12 and 8 wards respectively. Addressing a press briefing, Chadha who is AAP's Punjab co-in-charge alleged that some BJP leaders had offered Rs.50 lakh to 2 party councillors and Rs.75 lakh to another winning candidate to join their party.

As a "precautionary measure", he announced that the Arvind Kejriwal-led party will install cameras at the residences of its councillors and warned that camera footage and call recordings will be released in the public domain if any BJP leader contacts them. Taking to Twitter on Tuesday, Shekhawat contended that it was AAP's old habit to level allegations without any proof. According to him, spying on its own elected candidates was an indication that Kejriwal is worried about an internal split in AAP. 

Gajendra Shekhawat remarked, "This indicates a lack of confidence in Kejriwal who made tall promises in Chandigarh and a result of increasing credibility of BJP in Punjab. He wants to become a point of discussion in Punjab by getting his colleagues to make allegations against me and my office. The truth is that BJP is the voice of the people against Congress in Punjab at present and AAP which is dreaming is seeing no light at the end of the tunnel. My sympathies are with Kejriwal". Moreover, he clarified that BJP does not require the support of AAP councillors. 

AAP foresees victory in Punjab

Speaking to the media on Monday, AAP's Punjab co-in-charge Raghav Chadha opined, "The result of the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation is a victory of the Kejriwal model of governance. This is the victory of Arvind Kejriwal's clean politics, honest image and tried and tested governance model of Delhi. Tired of the traditional parties and the corrupt policies and government of BJP and Congress, the people of Chandigarh wanted to give a chance to a clean and honest party".

He added, "That's why the voice of the people of Chandigarh has come to the fore- one chance for Arvind Kejriwal. I am saying with full responsibility that the mood of Chandigarh will be replicated in Punjab. Chandigarh is just a trailer, Punjab is the picture". Punjab will witness a 4-pronged contest with Congress, AAP, BJP-Punjab Lok Congress-SAD(S) and SAD-BSP seeking to win the 2022 Assembly polls.