Poaching allegations fly thick and fast ahead of Delhi mayor's election

Ahead of the mayor’s election in Delhi, Aam Aadmi Party, BJP and Congress on Saturday alleged that attempts were being made to lure their newly elected MCD councillors.

The fresh war of words came as two Congress councillors, who on Friday defected to AAP, returned to the party fold and BJP councillor from Anand Vihar, Monica Pant, filed a complaint with the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) against an AAP leader Shikha Garg, alleging that she tried to “bribe” her for switching sides.

Kejriwal’s caution

AAP convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, addressing newly elected councillors of his party, cautioned them that the BJP would “try to buy them out”.

Also read: ‘BJP’s game has begun’: Sisodia alleges poaching bid after AAP’s MCD win

The BJP leaders, at a press conference, also alleged that “an agent” of Kejriwal was trying to poach party councillors.

The Congress also accused Kejriwal’s party of indulging in poaching after two of its defectors returned.

Kejriwal alleged the BJP can offer Rs 10 lakh to 50 lakh to AAP councillors. “The BJP will now try to buy you, they will offer you money to join them. I am sure some of you might already have received calls from them. They will offer Rs 10 lakh to someone, and Rs 50 lakh to another person and ask you to join them and vote for them while selecting the mayor,” Kejriwal charged and hoped the AAP councillors will not fall prey to poaching.

He also told them to record audio and video of such offers to expose those involved and to report any bribing attempt by the BJP to party MLAs from their area or MCD coordinators.

BJP’s charges

BJP leaders, including national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala and Delhi unit media cell head Harish Khurana, at a press conference accused the AAP of trying to poach their party’s newly elected councillors.

Poonawala alleged a new model of the AAP – ‘Pralobhan for Parshad’ (alluring councillors) — has come to the fore.

Khurana claimed that an “agent” of Kejriwal was trying to induce the BJP councillors to switch to the AAP. He said there was evidence of poaching attempts by the AAP.

BJP’s Anand Vihar councillor Monica Pant charged that AAP leader Shikha Garg introduced herself as a representative of an MP of her party.

“She later came to my house which has been caught in CCTV footage. She offered me a political post in MCD and special funds for my ward for cross-voting. We have lodged a complaint with ACB in this regard,” Pant said.

AAP ended BJP’s 15-year rule in the civic body bagging 134 of 250 Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) wards, the results of which were declared on Wednesday.

The BJP managed to win 104 wards. There was speculation that the BJP may contest for the mayor’s post despite not having the requisite numbers in the House.

AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh alleged that the Delhi BJP president spoke about buying 10 AAP councillors. “Delhi BJP has introduced khoka khoka (crore, crore) formula in Delhi,” he charged and urged police commissioner for an inquiry.

Congress PC

Delhi Congress president Anil Kumar introduced the 9 newly elected councillors to the media in a press conference at the party office.

“Kejriwal, who had sworn to clean politics, tried to mislead a couple of Congress councillors and workers with false promises and inducements, but they quickly realised Kejriwal’s mischief and reaffirmed their faith in the Congress party,” Kumar said.

The two councillors — Sabila Begam from Mustafabad and Nazia Khatoon from Brij Puri — who had joined AAP on Friday were present at the press conference.

There is no anti-defection law for the civic body.

Decision on date

The MCD will be approaching Delhi LG VK Saxena to seek a date on which the municipal house can be convened so that the councillors can take oath, and then a mayor can be elected.

Also read: With MCD win, AAP has greater autonomy, and no one to blame for lapses

The post of mayor sees five single-year terms on a rotation basis, with the first year being reserved for women, the second for open category, third for reserved category, and the remaining two also being in the open category.

Poll authorities had earlier said the entire process of the election will be completed on December 15.

(With Agency inputs)