For someone who entered politics as an anti-corruption crusader, claiming a clean image, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal came under extreme shock when a bribery scandal broke in the Aam Aadmi Party last week. After being sacked from the state cabinet last week, Kapil Mishra pointed his finger at the party convener alleging that he took a bribe of £200,000 from Health Minister Satyendra Jain.
Mishra also claimed that Jain told him that he had sealed a £5 million land deal in favour of Kejriwal's brother-in-law, adding that it was his decision to confront the Delhi CM about the scam that cost him his job. As media speculations began following his removal, several reasons came up, with the prominent two being Mishra's failure to fulfil the party's promise about the state's water shortage, and his public support for AAP leader Kumar Vishwas who criticised the party leadership last week for allowing MLAs to air allegations that he was undermining the government.
Mishra, meanwhile, submitted documents to the Anti-Corruption Branch against Kejriwal in connection with an alleged water tanker scam. He also said he has sought an appointment with the CBI to register a complaint. Drama intensified over the weekend as Kejriwal maintained silence on the allegations, but his wife Sunita, chose to display her irritation, as she claimed the brother-in-law dragged in the controversy died. Jain, and Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia attacked the sacked minister, saying he had “lost his mental balance” and levelling “baseless allegations”. Tweeting in Hindi, Sisodia said, “PAC is going on, even the embers in the funeral pyre of someone, have not gone cold and allegation is being made in his name. Has humanity died? Such baseless charge. Get some evidence.”
Jain rubbished Mishra's charge, saying “no deal took place” between him and Kejri and it was just an “attempt to defame the AAP”. “He (Mishra) says Kejriwal's brother-in-law was to get the favour from a deal. It is shameful and disgusting. He is making allegation about a man who is dead.”
AAP characteristically chose to blame the Bharatiya Janata Party, saying it was a big conspiracy hatched by them through Mishra and that Kejriwal would not resign over the “baseless allegations”. It also asserted that Mishra was making such allegations against Kejriwal “out of desperation” after being expelled from the Cabinet. AAP leader Sanjay Singh said, “A game of exploitation is being played against the AAP. The BJP is hatching a conspiracy against the AAP through Mishra.”
