AAP being attacked as it is BJP's biggest challenger, says Arvind Kejriwal

The AAP (Aam Admi Party) is the biggest challenger to the BJP and that is why it is under attack from all sides, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Saturday, 17 February, during a discussion on the motion of confidence he moved in the budget session of the Assembly.

Speaking on the motion of confidence, Kejriwal asserted that even if the BJP wins this year's Lok Sabha polls, the AAP will "liberate" the country from the saffron party in the 2029 elections.

The Delhi chief minister, who is also the AAP convenor, said his government has a majority in the house but needed to bring the motion of confidence because the BJP was trying to poach party MLAs and topple his government.

The house later passed the motion of confidence through a voice vote, with 54 of the AAP's 62 MLAs present during voting. Kejriwal asserted that no AAP MLA had defected. Two MLAs are in jail, some are unwell, and some others are out of station, he said.

He said several MLAs explained how they were contacted and offered money to switch sides, allegedly by "BJP people".

The chief minister asserted that the BJP thought it could finish the AAP by arresting him. "You may arrest me but how will you finish Kejriwal's thoughts?" he asked.

The CM also alleged that the BJP, through control over the services department and the bureaucracy, was obstructing the work of his government. "They claim to be Ram bhakt but they stopped medicines for the poor people in our hospitals. Did Lord Ram ask for stopping medicines for the poor people?" he said.

Kejriwal said he has faced attacks in the past, been slapped, got ink thrown on him, and now "they" want to arrest him.