AAP Alleges President's Rule in Delhi; BJP Hits Back, Calls it Baseless

In an explosive revelation, Delhi minister and senior AAP leader Atishi on Friday claimed that the BJP led central government has “hatched a political conspiracy” and will be imposing the President’s rule in Delhi in the upcoming days. She slammed the BJP over what she called a “planned political conspiracy” to topple the Aam Aadmi Party government in Delhi. The Bharatiya Janata Party was quick to hit back, denied the allegations and stated that the Atishi is “busy planting imaginary and baseless stories.”

“Today, through this press-conference, I want to inform the people of the people of Delhi and the people of the country, that a massive political conspiracy is being hatched against the elected Delhi Government. We have come to know from trustworthy sources that in the upcoming days, the Bharatiya Janata Party led central government will impose the President’s rule in Delhi,” said Atishi.

The senior AAP leader then went onto highlight several such instances that she alleged were “clear indications of a “well thought out political conspiracy to topple Arvind Kejriwal’s government.” “Firstly, we have seen that no officers are being appointed or posted in Delhi. The MHA controls the posting of the IAS officers; however, no IAS officers have been posted in Delhi over the last few months. Secondly, several government posts have been vacant in Delhi for the last few months, but, no officers have been appointed to fill in these posts,’ said the AAP leader. She then alleged that over the last few days, Lieutenant Governor has been writing “baselessly” to the MHA against the functioning of the Delhi Government, and she went onto say that that the officers of Delhi, citing the MCC as an excuse, have stopped attending all meetings. “Lastly, we saw how Arvind Kejriwal’s personal assistant has been removed from his position owing to an old case that has suddenly been racked up. These are clear indications of a well thought out conspiracy to topple the Delhi Government,” she added.

Addressing a press conference, the Delhi minister said, “This is exactly why Arvind Kejriwalji has been arrested by the Enforcement Directorate and the Central Government in connection with a fabricated case, with false allegations, and without any proper evidence to corroborate their claims. The BJP has done this because they know that no matter how much they try, they will not be able to defeat Arvind Kejriwal in Delhi.”

Atishi asserted that the BJP led central government has “hatched” this “political controversy” because they know that the people of Delhi love Arvind Kejriwal and have always voted him back to power. “The AAP government has always been voted in by the common people, be it the 2013, 2015, or the 2020 elections, even in the 2022 MCD elections because the common people love Kejriwalji,” said Atishi. The senior AAP leader alleged that the reason for Arvind Kejriwal's arrest is that BJP wants to stop free electricity, water, mohalla clinics, and education that are being provided to the people of Delhi.

BJP leader Virendra Sachdeva denied all allegations leveled against the saffron party and said, “Atishi's customary victim card theory and the imaginary Operation Lotus story has now been replaced by a new baseless claim this morning. She has now claimed that President’s Rule is likely to be imposed in Delhi in the coming days.”

Taking a jibe at the Aam Aadmi Party, Sachdeva stated that BJP cannot do anything if AAP fears that all 60 legislators of the party might leave them. “Atishi is an expert in planting imaginary and baseless stories. The AAP is afraid that more than 60 legislators might leave them… In that case, then it's their fear, we have nothing to do with that,” said Virendra Sachdeva.

This comes days after the Delhi High Court dismissed Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's plea challenging his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the subsequent remand order. Arvind Kejriwal was arrested by the ED on March 21 in connection with the now defunct Delhi Excise Policy case.