Union minister Anurag Thakur on Saturday called the AAP the “most dishonest party”, and claimed that the Congress is fighting the upcoming Lok Sabha elections for “abki baar, 40 paar” when the BJP is aiming for over 400 seats.

Congress leaders are leaving in droves for the BJP due to the spectacular performance of the BJP-led NDA government for the past ten years, he said in Madhya Pradesh’s Pandhurna district, a part of the Chhindwara Lok Sabha seat.

The 29 Lok Sabha constituencies in MP will go to polls in four phases between April 19 and May 13 and votes will be counted on June 4. Chhindwara will vote in the first phase.

“The truth is that AAP is the most dishonest political party. It is leading the table in telling lies. If there is an utterly dishonest person it is Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal,” said the Union minister when asked about the Aam Aadmi Party’s allegation that the BJP was misusing the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

The ED has arrested Kejriwal in an alleged money laundering case linked with the Delhi government’s now-scrapped liquor policy.

The Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting and Youth Affairs and Sports said Kejriwal had entered politics to end corruption.

“But it appears he is seeped in corruption. His health minister, jail minister, excise minister and deputy chief minister are in jail. And the dishonest Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is also in jail,” he said.

AAP has set a new record in dishonesty and broken all records for corruption, Thakur said, claiming that the public has lost faith in Kejriwal.

He said the Congress has been hit by large-scale desertion.

“Why are they leaving Congress,” he said in response to a question about the hold of Congress leader Kamal Nath in the Chhindwara Lok Sabha seat, which he has won nine times and is now represented by his son Nakul Nath.

In the 2019 general elections, the BJP had won 28 of the 29 seats in MP, with Nakul Nath emerging as the lone Congress winner in the state – from Chhindwara.

The BJP claims that thousands of Congress cadres have in recent weeks joined the party in MP, particularly from Chhindwara.

Thakur said the Congress had called the Ram Setu imaginary, questioned the birthplace of Lord Ram and opposed the Ram temple. “All these are going against the Congress and its leaders are leaving the party,” he said.

Congress leaders are also moving out as it is opposing India’s growth trajectory, and has “joined hands with foreign forces”, he claimed.

Many Congress leaders have joined the BJP as they are impressed by the spectacular work of the NDA government in the past ten years, he claimed.

Asked how the BJP plans to end the dominance of Kamal Nath in Chhindwara, Thakur said the Congress ruled the country for 60 years but has now run out of leaders.

“The BJP is fighting for ‘abki baar, 400 paar’ and Congress for ‘abki baar, 40 paar’,” he added.

In the 2019 parliamentary elections, the BJP had won 303 seats, while the Congress could bag only 52.