Chandigarh, Feb 12: The Aam Aadmi Party has accused Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini of attempting to lure one of its legislators into the BJP, describing the move as a continuation of “Operation Lotus.” During a press interaction, Sangrur MLA Narinder Kaur Bharaj and AAP media in-charge Baltej Pannu alleged that the Haryana Chief Minister personally approached the lawmaker with an offer to resign from her party.
Bharaj, who made history in 2022 as the youngest member elected to the Punjab Vidhan Sabha at age 27, stated that she was invited to a meeting where the proposal was made. She mentioned that the offer included a guarantee to contest as a BJP candidate from the Sangrur constituency along with other incentives.
“I was called for a meeting where Saini made the offer to induct me in BJP. He offered that he would ensure that I was fielded as the BJP candidate from Sangrur and asked me if I had any other demands,” Bharaj said. She added that she sought time to leave the meeting because she would never betray the party she has served since she was 19 years old.
The Haryana government has dismissed these claims, with Media Secretary to the CM, Parveen Attrey, labeling the allegations as entirely baseless. Attrey stated that no such meeting between the Chief Minister and Bharaj ever occurred. He mentioned that the AAP is using these claims as a diversionary tactic to hide its failure to fulfill campaign promises, such as the monthly allowance for women.
Addressing the political history of the MLA, Baltej Pannu noted that this is not the first instance where the BJP has allegedly tried to entice AAP legislators with financial benefits and positions. He mentioned that despite these efforts, the party’s representatives remain united and committed to their current leadership.
Bharaj, reflecting on her decade-long association with the party, mentioned that her political journey began as a polling agent in 2014. She stated that her growth within the organization makes it impossible for her to consider switching sides.
