Being compelled to join BJP, but won't: Kejriwal

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party had been trying to compel him and other Aam Aadmi Party leaders to join the party and asserted they would not do so as they had done no wrong.

The BJP dismissed his claim as an attempt to 'distract and trick' the people of Delhi.

Kejriwal's remarks come at a time he has been asked to join the Delhi Police probe into his allegations that the BJP attempted to 'poach' AAP MLAs and is facing summons from the Enforcement Directorate in an excise policy linked money laundering case.

Addressing an event where he laid the foundation of two schools in Kirari, the AAP chief claimed that the BJP wanted them to join the party but he was firm on not doing so.

"They can hatch any conspiracy against us but nothing is going to happen. I am standing firm against them and I am not going to bow down. They say, 'come and join BJP and we will leave you alone'. But I will never join BJP. Why should we join BJP? If you join BJP, all sins are forgiven," Kejriwal said.

The chief minister said they were working to improve schools and hospitals in the national capital and asked what was wrong in that.

Later in a post on X, Kejriwal asserted that all cases against AAP leaders were false.

'If we had done something wrong, we would have joined BJP like others who got their cases closed. When we have not done anything wrong, why should we join BJP? All the cases filed against us are false. If not today, tomorrow, all the cases will end,' he said in the post in Hindi.

He also said development works will not stop in Delhi, and 'as long as are alive, we will continue to serve the country and society'.

Responding to Kejriwal's remarks, the BJP's Delhi unit chief Virendra Sachdeva said, "Arvind Kejriwal is afraid of investigation by probe agencies, that's why he is lying. He wants to distract and trick the people of Delhi and that's why he is dreaming about the things that will never happen."

Kejriwal and cabinet minister Atishi have been served notices by the Delhi Police Crime Branch in connection with the allegations levelled by them that the BJP was attempting to 'poach' AAP MLAs.

Kejriwal has skipped five summonses issued by the Enforcement Directorate for questioning him in the excise policy linked money laundering case.

The BJP has questioned his decision to skip the notices while the AAP has alleged that it is a conspiracy to arrest Kejriwal ahead of the Lok Sabha elections to stop him from campaigning.