Arvind Kejriwal wins trust vote in Delhi assembly, asserts AAP as threat to BJP

New Delhi: Securing the victory in the trust vote within the 70-member Delhi Legislative Assembly on Saturday, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal claimed that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is the biggest challenger to the BJP, which wants to suppress it by any means.

Kejriwal, the national convener of the AAP, won the confidence motion with the support of 54 MLAs. We have in total of 62 MLAs. Presently, there are 54 people in the assembly; two are ill, three are out of the station, two are in jail, and one is busy with a wedding in the family, Kejriwal said.

Kejriwal tabled a motion of confidence in the House on Friday in response to 'Operation Lotus', which was discussed today.

Addressing the assembly, Kejriwal said, "Today, the AAP is the biggest challenger to the BJP in the country. If the BJP's future is in jeopardy, it's because of the AAP alone. They fear a threat to their future only from AAP. That is why these people want to crush us in any way they can."

"If the BJP does not lose the Lok Sabha elections in 2024, then in the 2029 elections, the Aam Aadmi Party will liberate this country from the BJP," Kejriwal asserted.

Accusing the BJP of poaching its MLAs and attempting to topple his government, Kejriwal said that despite having a majority in the house, it was necessary to introduce a confidence motion. He further mentioned, “BJP approached 7 AAP MLAs with offers, claiming that Kejriwal is going to be arrested, and after that, they will topple the AAP government, defecting all the AAP MLAs.”

"BJP asks for evidence in this regard; what kind of evidence do we present? Sometimes they approach the MLAs through friends, relatives, etc. They say, Join us; we'll schedule your meeting with Amit Shah. Any person doesn't carry tape recorders with themselves all the time, so what kind of proof should we give?" he said.

He alleged, "Arresting me is a dream of BJP people, but our government will not fall." Our wealth is not in bank accounts but in people's hearts. Kejriwal's thoughts are alive in crores of people; how will you arrest that? he added.

"Now these days, these people have spread a big rumour that once these Lok Sabha elections are over, they will change the Constitution and make Delhi a full union territory. Will abolish the Legislative Assembly. Is it someone's father's property that they will abolish the Legislative Assembly?" Kejriwal said, challenging the BJP to contest elections this time on the issue of whether they will dissolve the Delhi Assembly after the Lok Sabha elections or not. If the BJP has the courage, then it should scrap the assembly, he said.

However, during the trust vote, only one BJP MLA, Leader of Opposition Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, was present in the House, as seven out of the eight opposition legislators were suspended for the remainder of the session for allegedly interfering during the Lieutenant Governor's address on Thursday.