BJP on back foot, does not want elections in Delhi, says Tariq Anwar

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Tariq Anwar on Saturday alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) does not want elections to take place in Delhi as they have now realized that the coming days are not good for them.

Reaction to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Kumar Vishwas's claims that a BJP leader offered him the Delhi Chief Minister's post immediately after the Lok Sabha elections, Anwar said the saffron party is indulging in horse-trading to form the government in Delhi.

"It is the matter between him and the BJP. But I would definitely like to say that the Bharatiya Janata Party does not want elections in Delhi because they have now realized seeing the verdict of the by-polls that the coming days are not good for them," he told ANI here.

Earlier in the day, Vishwas confirmed reports that he had been approached by a newly-elected BJP Member of Parliament to join the saffron party soon after the general election results were declared.

"I got a call from a newspaper yesterday; they wanted to confirm about this proposal for me from the BJP. I thought I should not lie, and if I have been contacted by them, I must divulge that news," Viswas said.

"I have confirmed about the proposal which came to me from a newly-elected BJP MP, who I have been friends with for the past ten to fifteen years, to the newspaper. I was approached by the newly-elected MP, who is also an old friend of mine," he added.

Vishwas, who unsuccessfully contested the general elections against Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi from Amethi parliamentary constituency, said the BJP MP described him as the 'CM material' and said that the other AAP MLAs would follow suit if he joined the saffron party.

"That newly-elected BJP MP also insisted that I work for building our nation, but I told them that you should work for nation building as you have the mandate. Our best wishes are with you," he said.

The AAP leader further said that a long time had passed since this conversation and he did not want to encourage speculation by divulging whether the MP was elected once or twice. He also added that a conversation with a friend should be kept out of the political ambit.

The BJP, however, countered Vishwas's claims and alleged that it was a script that had been written by AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal.

"It seems that Kejriwalji has written a new script for Kumar Vishwas. He must reveal the name of the BJP MP.....and how much did he offer him for joining the BJP," Delhi BJP chief Satish Upadhyay said.