Atishi, a Delhi minister, made startling allegations on Tuesday, suggesting that the BJP is poised to target the next tier of AAP leadership, including herself, Saurabh Bharadwaj, Durgesh Pathak, and Raghav Chadha, following the recent arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
Atishi revealed that she has been informed about imminent ED raids on her residence, followed by potential arrests. She asserted, “The BJP is now targeting the next line of leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party.” Additionally, she disclosed attempts by the BJP to coax her into joining the party, presenting it as a means to salvage her political career or face arrest within the next month. According to Atishi, this strategy allegedly stems from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s purported decision to incarcerate AAP leaders systematically.
Dismissing fears of the AAP’s disintegration post-Kejriwal’s arrest, Atishi asserted that the BJP’s plans were foiled by the unity displayed by opposition parties at the recent gathering in Ramlila Maidan. She emphasized, “So now they want to target the next line of leadership.”
Atishi outlined a sequence of events, anticipating raids on her and her relatives, followed by summons and eventual incarceration. However, she remained resolute, declaring solidarity with Kejriwal and vowing to continue the fight against perceived political persecution.
These claims come in the wake of the ED’s recent mention of Atishi and Saurabh Bharadwaj in court proceedings, linking them to an alleged liquor scam. Atishi noted that while this information was not new, its formal mention in court proceedings sets the stage for potential action against her and Saurabh.
Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest on March 21 in connection with the liquor probe and subsequent judicial custody until April 15 has heightened tensions within the AAP ranks.