AHMEDABAD: Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia on Monday alleged that he was "offered the CM's post" by the BJP and withdrawal of all cases against him if he quit AAP and joined the saffron party.
Sisodia's allegations came days after his house was raided by the CBI over accusations of corruption in the implementation of the Delhi excise policy. Sisodia is among 15 people and entities named in an FIR registered by the CBI in connection with alleged irregularities in the implementation of the Delhi excise policy.
Sisodia, who along with Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal is on a two-day visit to Gujarat to reach out to voters ahead of the assembly polls later this year, said he was surprised when someone came to him with a message that he has two offers from the BJP.
The messenger said one was that all big cases registered against you by CBI-ED will be taken back. The other offer was that I break the party and they will make me chief minister," the AAP leader alleged. "I gave a clear answer to them, saying Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal is my political guru and I have learnt politics from him. I have not come into politics to be CM or PM," Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia said.
Asked who made him the alleged offer, Sisodia said, "The persons said that they were entrusted with the task of facilitating leaders like Mukul Roy, Shuvendu Adhikari, Himanta Biswa Sarma and B J Panda to join the BJP.
Meanwhile, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal said that Sisodia deserves the Bharat Ratna for improving education standard in Delhi schools, but instead he is being hounded by the Centre due to political motives.
"Don't you feel ashamed to make the CBI conduct raids on a man who did wonders in five years, did what existing political parties could not do in 70 years and made government schools the best. Such a man should get the Bharat Ratna," the Delhi CM remarked while talking to the media in Ahmedabad on Monday.
Kejriwal, who is also the AAP convener, also expressed apprehension that Sisodia may be arrested soon. "Manish Sisodia may be arrested; who knows I may also be arrested. All this is being done in view of the Gujarat assembly elections," he said.
Making yet another poll promise, Kejriwal announced that if AAP is voted to power in Gujarat, every person will get free and good quality healthcare and education.