BJP wants to finish AAP and arrest Kejriwal before Lok Sabha polls: Jasmine Shah

NEW DELHI: Coming down heavily at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Jasmine Shah alleged that the only target of the BJP is to "finish" AAP and "arrest" Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal before the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Shah claimed that all the summons served to the Delhi CM by the investigating agency were illegal.

"It is clear that they (BJP) want to finish Aam Aadmi Party and arrest Arvind Kejriwal before Lok Sabha elections. He is ready to cooperate with the legal process. Till now, all summons served to him are illegal," Shah said.

When asked about from where they got the news of the raids at Kejriwal's residence, the AAP leader said, "Last night from our credible sources, we got to know that a raid will be conducted and Arvind Kejriwal will be arrested."

"Please see the chronology, of when Manish Sisodia was arrested the BJP started saying that he was going to be arrested on which ED refuted the claims but after that, he was arrested. The same thing happened with Sanjay Singh. For the past 24 hours, the BJP leaders have been saying that Delhi CM will be arrested," he added.

Meanwhile, AAP's chief National Spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar said that three of our leaders have been in jail for a long time without any evidence and for the sheer reason that BJP can't compete with Arvind Kejriwal in policies.

"We are hearing it continuously that Arvind Kejriwal will be arrested. BJP leaders are saying such things. Three of our leaders are in jail for a long time without any evidence against them and for the sheer reason that BJP can't compete with Arvind Kejriwal in policies...Absconders are those who join BJP to escape investigation and we have a fairly long list of such people," Priyanka Kakkar said.

Delhi BJP chief Virendraa Sachedva dubbed the AAP as "Choro ki Baraat" (procession of thieves) who were making noise and mourning for Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal as he is running away from the investigation agency.

"Since morning I have been watching the 'Choro ki Baraat' (procession of thieves) making noise and mourning for Kejriwal. When you did corruption what happened that time? You (Kejriwal) are running away from the investigation agency. You have been called three times by ED but you did not go there. Now you are mourning that you can be arrested. Delhi CM it's your responsibility to follow the rules but you are not following that," he said.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Udit Raj suggested that the Delhi Chief Minister go before the ED and clarify his views on the allegations like Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi did earlier.

"Kejriwal spoke against corruption. He should appear before the ED to maintain his image. Sonia ji and Rahul ji never violated ED summons," Raj said.

Amidst claims made by the AAP about the ED arresting Arvind Kejriwal security around the Delhi Chief Minister's house has been further heightened. However, the AAP has not backed down from its claims.

Earlier, taking to the social media platform X, AAP leader and Delhi's Law and PWD Minister, Atishi on Wednesday, said, "News coming in that ED is going to raid@ArvindKejriwal's residence Thursday morning. Arrest likely."

Minutes after Atishi's post, Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj also posted on X, claiming speculations about Kejriwal's arrest by the ED.

"It is heard that tomorrow morning, ED is going to reach the house of Chief Minister Kejriwal and arrest him," Bharadwaj said in his post.

Delhi Chief Minister skipped the third summons issued to him by the ED on Wednesday. The ED issued a third summons to CM Kejriwal on December 22 last year, in connection with the alleged Delhi liquor scam case, asking him to appear before the agency on January 3.

Kejriwal, in his reply to the ED, expressed his readiness to cooperate with the investigation but declined to appear on the summoned date, calling the notice "illegal." Kejriwal further questioned the agency for not responding to his earlier replies when the summons was sent to him and he had raised certain queries on the nature of the agency's investigation.

In his written reply to the ED, the Delhi CM said "As a premier investigating agency the non-disclosure and non-response approach adopted by you cannot sustain the test of law, equity or justice. Your obstinacy is tantamount to assuming the role of judge, jury and executioner at the same time which is not acceptable in our country governed by the rule of law."

The Delhi CM was first called by the central agency to appear on November 2, but he did not depose, alleging that the notice was "vague, motivated, and unsustainable in law." He further alleged that the said summons appeared to be politically motivated and issued for extraneous considerations.

Meanwhile, the AAP also questioned the timing of the notice just before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.