AAP releases audio of Cong trying to bribe party workers

Hours after some AAP leaders joined the Congress, the former held a press conference to release an audio of a bribe being offered by the newly minted Congress members.

Speaking at a press conference held in the city, Harshil Nayak, media co-ordinator for AAP, played two audio recordings of phone calls made by Rituraj Mehta and Labhubhai Bardiwala's son Nirav.

In the recording, Mehta and Nirav are heard appealing for supporters from AAP party workers and promising 'good returns' for them.

It should be noted that Mehta, a builder, had contested the Lok Sabha elections of 2014 from Gandhinagar on an AAP ticket.

Nayak said till now it was the BJP, which was buying off leaders to boost its strength and now, the Congress too was indulging in it. "From what we have, the central leadership of the Congress has specifically told the party in Gujarat to attempt to break the AAP. Congress has failed as an effective opposition in the state and is trying to buy numbers by bribing our workers," said Nayak.

He said GPCC president Bharatsinh Solanki, while welcoming the new AAP joinees, said they had come on their own. "But it is clear from the audio clips that some of the leaders including Mehta and Bardiwala were desperate to show that they had support," said Nayak.

In the audio clip, Mehta is heard asking Shailesh Thakkar, who led the Sanand farmer's agitation and is an AAP worker, to arrange some supporters from the area and in return he promised food and transportation expenses.

In case of Bardiwala, his son Nirav is heard talking to one Galsukhbhai, an AAP worker, asking him and others to join the party. "The new Congress leaders also tried to lure AAP workers with the promise of seats in the civic polls in the state," said Nayak.

The party also said it will approach the Election Commission in the matter. "Action needs to be taken against the Congress for trying to bribe our workers," said Nayak.