Attempt to topple AAP government shows how dangerous ‘Operation Lotus’ is for democracy: Shiv Sena

The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena on August 26 accused the BJP of trying to topple the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Delhi by using the Enforcement Directorate (ED), and said it shows how dangerous ‘Operation Lotus’ is for the democracy in the country. The editorial in the Sena mouthpiece Saamana said the BJP was worried about 2024 Lok Sabha elections and scared of rival leaders such as Sharad Pawar, Uddhav Thackeray, Arvind Kejriwal, Mamata Banerjee and Nitish Kumar.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on August 25 accused the BJP of trying to topple his government by offering ₹800 crore to 40 MLAs of the Aam Aadmi Party for switching sides. The BJP denied the allegation.

“This shows how dangerous Operation Lotus is for democracy,” Saamana editorial said, adding that raids by investigation agencies and politics of revenge were the biggest weapons of the BJP.

The BJP’s opponents often use the term ‘Operation Lotus’ while accusing it of making efforts to topple the State governments run by Opposition parties. Lotus is the BJP’s election symbol.

Efforts are being made to topple the Kejriwal government using the ED, the Sena mouthpiece alleged.

Eknath Shinde — now Maharashtra Chief Minister — and other rebel Shiv Sena MLAs succumbed to the pressure of Central agencies but the AAP legislators in Delhi did not, it further said. Operation Lotus also did not materialise in Bihar and Telangana, it added. The majority secured by the BJP was not “pure” and was gained by “robbing”, it said.

Referring to the legal battle in the Supreme Court between the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction and Mr. Shinde faction, the newspaper said the Sena has full faith in the judiciary, but justice should not be delayed.