AAP vs BJP: Kejriwal's party volunteers join saffron party amid Delhi Excise policy row

The AAP has accused the BJP of running operation lotus and trying to topple the Kejriwal government in two states.

twitter.com/adeshguptabjp

New Delhi: Amid a heated row between the Aam Aadmi Party and Bhartiya Janta Party over the Delhi Excise Policy, several AAP volunteers and office bearers on Tuesday joined the Delhi unit of the BJP.

AAP has accused the BJP of running operation lotus and trying to topple the Kejriwal government in two states.

"AAP volunteers quit the party in "protest" over charges of corruption in excise policy against the Kejriwal government in Delhi", the Delhi BJP chief Adesh Gupta said while welcoming the new entrants into the party fold.

Gupta said in a tweet, "Tired of Aam Aadmi Party's scams and corruption, hundreds of office bearers and workers joined BJP along with in-charge of AAP's East Delhi Lok Sabha Shri Chandra Ketu Mishra today. Dedicated in the interest of the nation, he chose the BJP family, I warmly welcome everyone."

.@AamAadmiParty के घोटालों व भ्रष्टाचारों से तंग आकर आज AAP के पूर्वी दिल्ली लोकसभा के प्रभारी श्री चंद्र केतू मिश्रा के साथ सैकड़ो पदाधिकारियों व कार्यकर्ताओं ने भाजपा की सदस्यता ग्रहण की।

राष्ट्रहित में समर्पित इन्होने भाजपा परिवार को चुना, मैं सभी का हार्दिक स्वागत करता हूँ। pic.twitter.com/FU2HK8HgYE

— Adesh Gupta (@adeshguptabjp) August 23, 2022

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Monday claimed that he was "offered the CM's post" by the BJP and closure of all cases if he quit the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and joined the saffron outfit.

Gupta said that AAP is diverting the issue with its accusation against the BJP of trying to cause a rift in the party and avoiding questions raised over allegations in its excise policy.

"AAP leaders talking about 'Operation Lotus' only to divert attention from their scams and corruption," he said.

He said ten senior volunteers who held posts of office bearers in different units of the AAP and their scores of followers have joined the BJP.

"The way AAP government has created records of corruption in every sector, AAP workers were disillusioned with the party and have joined BJP," he said.

AAP workers who joined the BJP included Mayur Vihar district vice president Anuj Kumar Singh, Najafgarh Vidhan Sabha in-charge Jitendra Sharma, Anjani Mishra, Krishna Kumar, Amarnath, and Danish Khan, said a Delhi BJP statement.

(With PTI inputs)