New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Kapil Mishra on Sunday, a day after being ousted from the cabinet, has charged AAP Minister Satyendra Jain of giving Chief Minster Kejriwal Rs two crore in cash.
“I saw Satyendra Jain give Rs 2 crore to Arvind Kejriwal day before yesterday. I couldn’t sleep all night,” he said.
He further alleged that Health minister Satyendra Jain had told him that he settled land deals worth Rs 50 crore for Kejriwal’s relative. He further said that Kejriwal had said, “such things happen in politics”.
I have been sacked after I spoke out. I have told LG about all corruption cases, said Mishra at the press conference post his meet with Baijal.
Speaking about the allegations, Delhi deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said, “His (Mishra) allegations are not even worth responding to, they are so absurd and without any facts”.
The ousted Delhi Cabinet Minister was speaking to the press after he met the Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal, and ‘revealed’ all details to him about the alleged water tanker row.
Furthermore, Mishra had tweeted, “I have witnessed HIM taking illegal cash.. have shared all details with Lt. Gov. I cannot keep quiet anymore.”
Also earlier on Sunday, he flatly ruled out any possibility of him joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), saying he is one of the founding members of AAP and will always be in the party’s inner circle.
“I am one of the founding members of AAP and will always be in the party. Those who are corrupt will be sacked from the party” Mishra told the reporters here ahead of his meeting with Baijal.
Earlier on Saturday, shortly after being removed from the Delhi Cabinet, Mishra said he may have been axed for saying he would submit the names of those people involved in the tanker scam to the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB).
“It has nothing to do with the MCD polls, and till now, I have not received any official confirmation so far. But I met Arvind Kejriwal this morning, and I said that it has been a year since the report on the tanker scam was tabled and no action has been taken,” Mishra said.
“I had told him that I will submit the names of the responsible persons to the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB),” he added.
He had said he would expose the names involved in the tanker scam on Sunday.
However, sources close to Kejriwal claim that Mishra did not meet the Chief Minister and neither had he submitted any papers related to the tanker scam.
“I have also written a letter to the ACB and have and sought appointment from them. I will expose everyone involved in the scam and will apprise the ACB,” he added.
He also denied that he was ousted for supporting AAP leader Kumar Vishwas. Mishra tweeted that he was the only minister who has not come under the CBI scanner and has not been charged with corruption.
This decision came soon after the AAP suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of the BJP in the recently concluded MCD polls.
Recently, a rift developed within the party after Amanatulla Khan had alleged that Vishwas was planning a coup against Kejirwal. Vishwas had threatened to quit the party before Kejriwal and other senior AAP leaders managed to assuage his hurt feelings and appointed him in charge of the AAP’s affairs in Rajasthan.
Meanwhile, Rajendra Gautam and Kailash Gahlot have been included in the Delhi Cabinet.
Mishra was believed to be close to Vishwas. Earlier, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said,
“Water management was not up to the mark. Kapil Mishra made a lot of effort. The Chief Minister decided to bring in Kailash Gahlot in his place.”
He added that two persons have been included in the Cabinet now, Kailash Gahlot and Rajendra Gautam for a post which was vacant.
Speculation and rumours, however, are afloat that axing of Mishra from the Delhi Cabinet was an attempt by Chief Minister Kejriwal and Deputy Chief Minister Sisodia to send a veiled message across to the Vishwas camp that to quell any sort of dissent.
Rumors are abound that the AAP is currently bifurcated into two camps, one led by Kejriwal and the other by Kumar Vishwas. The political impact of today’s axing of a key associate and minister is yet to unravel.
