AAP may use kickbacks from Punjab excise policy in poll: BJP to EC

A delegation of the Punjab BJP on Saturday met the State Chief Electoral Officer and pressed for an Enforcement Directorate (ED) probe into the State’s excise policy, alleging that “black money received by AAP through kickbacks” could be used during the Lok Sabha elections.

The BJP’s fresh attack on the issue came after the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister and AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal by the ED in a Delhi excise policylinked money laundering case on Thursday.

However, the ruling AAP in Punjab hit back, accusing the BJP of “peddling lies” to mislead people as it will get a “zero” in Punjab in the coming elections.

The BJP delegation, led by Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar and comprising Union Minister Som Parkash, former Union Minister Vijay Sampla, and others, handed over a memorandum to Punjab Chief Electoral Officer Sibin C.

Mr. Jakhar told reporters here that Punjab’s excise policy was framed along the lines of the “tainted” Delhi excise policy.

He also alleged that State Finance and Excise

Punjab’s excise policy is tainted by the Delhi excise policy, alleged the State BJP

Minister Harpal Singh Cheema along with two senior officials had even attended a meeting with the thenDelhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who is in judicial custody in the Delhi excise case, for framing the policy in May 2022.

“We have demanded a probe by the ED into Punjab’s excise policy,” added Mr. Jakhar.

In a statement, AAP refuted allegations of corruption in the Punjab excise policy, and hit out at the BJP.

“The BJP is looking at a big zero in Punjab during the Lok Sabha elections, so an unnerved BJP Punjab president Sunil Jakhar is making up lies to mislead people, but he won’t succeed,” said the party.

“The BJP is daydreaming if it thinks it can win any Lok Sabha seat in Punjab. The people of Punjab have not forgotten the atrocities that the Centre and Haryana BJP government committed against our farmers,” the party said.