'Operation Lotus' back in Punjab

Amritsar: As AAP's lone Lok Sabha MP from Punjab and an MLA joined the BJP on Wednesday, three AAP legislators from the state claimed that they received calls offering them money to join the BJP. The Aam Aadmi Party alleged that the BJP had "again started Operation Lotus" in Punjab and was trying to break Arvind Kejriwal's party. There was no immediate reaction from the BJP on the allegations.

AAP legislator from Jalalabad Jagdeep Kamboj Goldy claimed that he received a call from one Sewak Singh from an international number on Tuesday with an offer to join the BJP. Kamboj told reporters that he asked the MLA to join the BJP and said, "'We will give Rs 20-25 crore'. I said I do not need it."

Similar claims were made by Balluana MLA Amandeep Singh and Ludhiana South legislator Rajinder Pal Kaur Chhina. They asserted that they would not leave the party. Kamboj alleged that the BJP was scared of Kejriwal and AAP.

"Where they fail to win people's mandate, they try to buy MLAs, MP and

other AAP leaders at any cost," he charged.