Amid allegations of a BJP conspiracy to detain Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has reportedly sought advice from its trusted MLAs and advisors on potential replacements in case the need arises.

For AAP, finding a leader to temporarily replace Kejriwal is not going to be easy. With its former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh in jail in the same case and former health minister Satyendar Jain on bail in a different matter relating to money laundering, its pick of leaders is limited.

Also Read:Delhi liquor scam: AAP vs BJP slugfest over ED summons to Arvind Kejriwal

On Tuesday, party leaders, including ministers Gopal Rai, Atishi, Saurabh Bharadwaj, Dilip Pandey and Sandeep Pathak alleged that the BJP wants to get Kejriwal arrested to “destroy” the AAP.

However, when asked about a plan B if Kejriwal were to be arrested, Saurabh Bhardwaj said, “As of now, I don’t know and I don’t think there’s any discussion about it. Kejriwal is our leader and we will work under his direction”.

Also Read:Supreme Court rejects Manish Sisodia’s bail plea in Delhi excise policy case

This comes after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) issued a summons to AAP convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for questioning on November 2 in connection with the ongoing investigation into the Delhi excise policy case.

Delhi minister and AAP leader Saurabh Bhardwaj claimed the denial of bail to Manish Sisodia and the subsequent ED summons to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal as tactics to “punish AAP politically”.

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Saurabh Bhardwaj stated, “This is so that they can get rid of and punish AAP politically.”

The Supreme Court order, he admitted, was a jolt for the party, “but in a way, it destroys the allegations of the Enforcement Directorate and the Central Bureau of Investigation”.

In a significant blow, the Supreme Court rejected the bail plea of AAP leader and former Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia on October 30. The case is related to corruption and money laundering allegations connected to the now-scrapped excise policy in the national capital.

AAP leaders react as ED summons Kejriwal

With speculation about Kejriwal’s possible arrest by the ED, several party leaders, have asserted that the BJP aims to arrest Kejriwal.

Gopal Rai stated, “A conspiracy has been underway to eliminate the AAP government since it came to power, and now BJP leaders are preparing for Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest through the ED. BJP leaders have been shouting since Monday that since the Supreme Court has rejected Manish Sisodiaji’s bail application, Arvind Kejriwal will be arrested.”

Delhi Cabinet Minister Atishi asserted, “There are reports that Kejriwal will be arrested on November 2. If he is arrested, it won’t be because of corruption charges but because he has spoken against the BJP.” She continued, “The AAP defeated the BJP in Delhi Assembly polls twice and also in MCD polls. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scared of AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal. The BJP knows they cannot defeat the AAP in elections.”

ED summons Kejriwal

Kejriwal’s summons by the ED is linked to the same case that resulted in the arrest of his former deputy Manish Sisodia and AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh on October 4.

The ED summons comes after the Supreme Court dismissed Manish Sisodia’s bail plea, stating that a money trail of Rs 338 crore was “tentatively established” in the matter. Sisodia is the primary accused in the case.

Kejriwal was questioned by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in April regarding the same case, although he has not been named as an accused in the FIR filed by CBI in August last year.