Reacting to Atishi’s allegation that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) approached her to join them or face arrest by the Enforcement Directorate, BJP leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa accused Arvind Kejriwal of fooling her and destroying lives. Sirsa stated, “No one except Arvind Kejriwal has fooled you. He has destroyed several lives before her.”
Sirsa suggested that Atishi might be under pressure, claiming, “When Arvind Kejriwal gave their names to the Enforcement Directorate (ED), they felt that they are the next in turn because Kejriwal has given them away.”
He urged Atishi to reveal the name of her close aide from whom she claims to have received the blackmail threat from the BJP. Sirsa said, “Atishi claims that he has gotten a message. She should reveal the name of her close aide so that the ED can arrest him.”
Sirsa emphasized that the BJP would not accept a corrupt leader like Atishi and advised her to inform her aide accordingly. He stated, “BJP will not take in such a corrupt leader like Atishi and even will not allow her to walk outside its office.”
Hinting at a power struggle within the AAP, Sirsa remarked, “This is because Arvind Kejriwal does not want to make them Chief Minister. He wants to put them in jail. So, they are scared.”
Providing details of Kejriwal’s statements to the ED, Sirsa alleged, “Arvind Kejriwal said that Vijay Nair, who was working under the Liquor Policy and staying at a government bungalow, used to report to Atishi and Saurabh. Now they have got to know that all evidence is against them. Moreover, Atishi’s family was also mentioned for exchange of money.”
Meanwhile, BJP spokesperson Harish Khurana accused Atishi of trying to create a sensation before the media and warned that the BJP might complain against her. He stated, “This is a challenge. Please give his name. If not, the BJP will meet the Police Commissioner and lodge a complaint. This is not going to work. You are trying to move away from real issues…People of Delhi know how you are trying to diverge from issues of corruption.”
On the other hand, BJP leader RP Singh claimed that an internal struggle was ongoing in AAP and the fight for the Chief Minister’s post was on. He remarked, “This is their internal tussle which is coming out again and again in different manners. The truth is that action will be taken against all whose names are involved in the matter…It is clear that the fight for the CM post has begun in AAP. Saurabh Bharadwaj and Atishi are on one side and Sunita Kejriwal and Arvind Kejriwal are on the other side.”
Addressing Kejriwal’s naming of Atishi and Saurabh Bharadwaj before the ED, BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala claimed that Kejriwal was undergoing a transformation. Poonawala said, “Today the changing transforming face of Arvind Kejriwal’s face is out in the open from Ram Lila. From Swaraj to Sharab, from Jhadu to Lalu, from Anna Hazare’s leadership to Lalu’s leadership…there is a huge transformation. Today he is saying that he wants to run the government from jail.”