BJP running Operation Lotus in Punjab, wants to topple AAP govts in 2 states: Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj

Addressing a press conference, Bharadwaj said among the four parties with presence in Punjab – the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), the Congress, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and the BJP – it is the party at the helm at Centre that has “no strength” in the state. “After the farmers’ protest, they have lost even some of the reputation they had…Farmers installed boards in Punjab saying that BJP cannot enter the state…,” said Bharadwaj.

Accusing the BJP of running “Operation Lotus”, the AAP leader said, “A question arises that if the BJP’s condition is so bad in Punjab, why did it poach AAP’s MP and MLA? Yesterday, we received information from our Punjab counterparts that the BJP is approaching AAP leaders with an aim to poach them by luring them with money, position, ‘Y’ plus security and even MP seat in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.”

Bharadwaj expressed confidence that “BJP may do anything, play any tactics, but will not win the seat in Jalandhar.”

He said, “I understand that people often switch parties, sometimes due to their current party’s unstable condition or if they find better prospects in some other party. However, it is beyond my understanding to expect this to happen in Punjab. Rinku’s tenure as MP has already concluded, MCC (Model Code of Conduct) is in place and the only thing left for him now was to fight the polls…” He further said, “But one thing is certain that the BJP will still be at the fourth position, no matter what they do. (But) What I fail to understand is why would any MP switch parties to bag the fourth position?”

Bharadwaj said Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was right when he had said the BJP was planning to topple the AAP government in Delhi and Punjab. “That is why they are running Operation Lotus in Punjab. But I am proud of our leaders in Punjab, they came straight and informed the party leadership…,” Bharadwaj said, adding he also had proof of the mobile numbers from which AAP leaders received the said calls.

When asked about Delhi Lieutenant Governor (L-G) VK Saxena’s statement that the government cannot run from jail, Bharadwaj said, “The L-G does not want the government to run from anywhere, from inside the jail or outside…No law says that the CM cannot run the government from jail…”

Meanwhile, dismissing Bharadwaj’s allegations, Delhi BJP Spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor said, “Whenever AAP faces allegations or its leaders and workers start leaving the party, its leaders start concocting fascinating tales of Operation Lotus….we have said earlier as well, if AAP leaders have any evidence against the BJP, they should make it public and file a police report…they never file any report and only level false, baseless allegations.”