New Delhi:
Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Sunday dismissed the Aam Aadmi Party’s allegations of operating “Operation Lotus” in Delhi for voter manipulation and challenged the notion that Rohingyas, whom AAP has accused the party of settling in Delhi for votes, would ever support the BJP.
In a sharp rebuttal to AAP’s accusations of voter manipulation, Hardeep Puri questioned the credibility of the claims.
“Do you think that the Rohingyas, in any condition, will vote for the BJP? There is no chance that they will vote for us,” Hardeep Puri asserted, turning the tables on the accusations.
When asked about, AAP’s charges that ‘Operation Lotus’ is being operated in Delhi from December 15 wherein BJP has cut out 5000 voters and added 7000 voters.
Replying to the allegations, Hardeep Puri said, “This is the same Arvind Kejriwal and the same Aam Aadmi Party that were claiming that the BJP has brought Rohingyas to Delhi. We (BJP) have clarified everything in connection with this. Do you think that the Rohingyas in any condition will vote for the BJP? There is no chance that they will vote for us.”
“This has all been done by the AAP. These ‘illegal infiltrators’ have been brought and settled by them for votes. If you cut these votes, I say it will be very good for our democratic process. Arvind Kejriwal says one thing and the very next moment changes his stance on that,” said Mr Puri.
The BJP leader’s response underscores the idea that the party believes allegations of settling Rohingyas in Delhi for electoral gain are baseless. They contend that any suggestion that the Rohingyas–whom AAP has painted as a vote bank for BJP–would vote for the party is far-fetched.
Mr Puri on Sunday also attacked AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal over the party’s welfare schemes and accused the former Delhi Chief Minister of ‘deceiving’ the people.
The Union Minister said, “Aisa koi saga nahi jise Kejriwal ne thaga nahi” (there is no one whom Kejriwal has not deceived).
Mr Puri claimed that the Mahila ‘Samman Yojana’ and ‘Sanjeevani’ schemes lack proper budgetary provisions and cabinet approval. The Mahila Samman Yojana is aimed at providing women residing in Delhi with Rs 2,100 per month.
The minister questioned the sincerity of the schemes, stating that announcing such plans without clear financial backing or a robust implementation process is a betrayal to the people.
He accused Arvind Kejriwal of losing his ‘mental equilibrium’ after Kejriwal alleged the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of running “Operation Lotus” in his constituency.
This comes after Earlier today, former Delhi Chief Minister and AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of running “Operation Lotus” in the New Delhi constituency since December 15 to delete voters from the voter list.
Addressing a press conference, Kejriwal said, “In my New Delhi assembly constituency – their (BJP) ‘operation Lotus’ has been going on since December 15. In these 15 days, they have applied for the deletion of 5,000 votes and the addition of 7,500 votes. Why there is a need to conduct elections if you are manipulating approximately 12 per cent of total voters in the assembly? A kind of ‘game’ is being going on in the name of election.”
Mr Puri expressed confidence in his party’s victory in the upcoming Delhi assembly elections, which are expected to be held in early 2025, saying, “The electoral results of Delhi will be the same as those of Haryana and Maharashtra.”
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
