On Tuesday, AAP leader and Delhi minister, Atishi, made an alarming claim that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal may face arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on November 2, following his questioning in a money laundering case linked to the Delhi liquor policy. In an interview with India Today TV, Atishi asserted that the BJP was actively pursuing a strategy to undermine the AAP by potentially incarcerating its top leaders. She contended that this course of action was being employed by the BJP as a result of its inability to defeat Kejriwal in electoral contests.
According to Atishi, there are concerns that Kejriwal's arrest, scheduled for November 2, could be motivated by factors unrelated to corruption allegations but rather due to his vocal criticisms of the BJP. She emphasized that AAP had achieved electoral victories over the BJP in the Delhi Assembly elections on two occasions and in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) polls. Atishi also suggested that Prime Minister Narendra Modi harbored apprehensions about AAP's national convener, Arvind Kejriwal, which had compelled the BJP to resort to such tactics.
Earlier, the ED had issued a summons to Kejriwal for questioning at its office in Delhi on November 2 concerning the money laundering case connected to the Delhi excise policy. This marked the first instance of Kejriwal being summoned by the ED, having previously undergone questioning by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in April regarding this case.
Furthermore, Atishi went on to allege that once Kejriwal was arrested, the BJP would target other leaders from the Opposition INDIA bloc and various chief ministers using the CBI and ED as tools. She asserted that the next targets would likely include Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, Tejashwi Yadav, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, as the BJP had not succeeded in breaking their respective alliances or defeating them in elections.
Atishi reiterated the resolve of AAP leaders, asserting that they were not apprehensive about facing imprisonment and would persist in their fight to uphold the Constitution until their last breath.
Saurabh Bharadwaj, a fellow member of the AAP, echoed Atishi's sentiments and contended that the party had grown stronger in the face of opposition.
He stated, "The BJP is attempting to incarcerate Arvind Kejriwal and other top leaders of the AAP. Every time efforts have been made to suppress and dismantle the Aam Aadmi Party, it has only emerged more resilient."
In a separate press conference, AAP's Delhi state convenor and minister, Gopal Rai, emphasized the party's unwavering commitment to serving the people. He underscored that previous adversities and attacks had only strengthened the party's resolve. He further asserted that the AAP was not working for its own interests but was dedicated to the betterment of the common citizen.
