BJP spent ₹6,300 crore on toppling govts of other parties: Kejriwal

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday (August 27) claimed that the Centre did not have to impose GST on food items if the BJP had not spent a whopping ₹6,300 crore on toppling government’s of other parties in the country.

Kejriwal’s remarks come a day after he called the BJP a “serial killer of state governments”. During his address in the Delhi Assembly, Kejriwal also alleged that the BJP is using money collected through GST and hike in petrol and diesel prices to “poach” MLAs of other parties.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor on Saturday (August 27) also alleged that people are facing the brunt of price rise, with the BJP spending crores of rupees on poaching other parties’ MLAs and bringing down their governments in states.

Also Read: Kejriwal seeks trust vote: ‘BJP serial killer of state governments’

In a tweet in Hindi, Kejriwal said the Goods and Services Tax (GST) that has been imposed on curd, buttermilk, honey, wheat, rice etc., will fetch ₹7,500 crore revenue per annum to the central government.

“They have spent ₹6,300 crore so far on toppling governments. They would not have had to impose GST on wheat, rice, buttermilk etc. if they had not toppled governments. People do not have to face inflation,” he claimed.

The political slugfest between the AAP and the BJP has intensified since the CBI registered a case against Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and others for alleged irregularities in implementation of the excise policy.

The probe agency raided Sisodia’s residence in the capital and 30 other locations in the country in connection with the case on August 19.

Also Read: Kejriwal questions BJP over source of ₹800 crore to ‘poach’ AAP MLAs

The AAP alleged that the Centre put the CBI after Sisodia to dent his image by implicating him in a “fake” case as the the BJP is “terrified” of Kejriwal’s growing popularity, and his model of governance in the run up to the assembly polls in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh.

A day after the CBI raid, Sisodia claimed that the BJP had approached him with an offer to drop all corruption charges against him, appoint him as the Chief Minister of Delhi if he switches sides and joins the saffron party.

Earlier this week, four AAP MLAs claimed that BJP leaders approached them offering ₹20 crore each if they join the saffron party or else, they too will face fake CBI, ED cases.

On Thursday, AAP claimed that the BJP has approached 40 of its MLAs with such offers and accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of trying to topple the Kejriwal government in Delhi.

Also Read: AAP MLAs to meet at Arvind Kejriwal’s residence to discuss poaching attempts by BJP

During his address in the Delhi Assembly, he also claimed that the BJP has bought 277 MLAs till now across the country.

The BJP, however, countered the charge accusing the AAP of making false claims just to divert people’s attention from the corruption charges against Sisodia.

(With inputs from agencies)