AAM AADMI Party (AAP) National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday wrote to Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, alleging a conspiracy was in play by the BJP to have AAP leaders and workers jailed in false cases ahead of the local body elections.

The development came a day after AAP Gujarat President Isudan Gadhvi was booked for rioting and obstruction, among other charges, and arrested along with 17 others at Jam Khambaliya police station in Dwarka, where he had gone to ask about a case, allegedly wrongly filed, against another local party worker.

In his letter, Kejriwal stated that Gadhvi’s arrest was part of a “special pattern” as 160 AAP members had been arrested in Gujarat over three months.

On March 30 and 31, there were three incidents wherein AAP workers were wrongly arrested after petty fights over road accidents, Kejriwal alleged, stating that these incidents took place in Dwarka, Porbandar and Jamnagar.

Kejriwal also alleged a far-reaching conspiracy into these incidents and reiterated his claim that in the coming days, this plan involved “the arrest of 10,000 AAP workers”.

The former Delhi CM also sought an appointment to meet with Patel.

Meanwhile, Gadhvi was released later Wednesday night.

Speaking to media persons outside the police station after his release, Gadhvi said, “Our workers were arrested when we had gone to make a representation in a matter. The police felt that such representation was not appropriate and that a video was being made, therefore we were arrested. It seems that the BJP government is afraid of Aam Aadmi Party workers.

“It also seems that an attempt is being made to scare us with jail, but people always vote against oppression. Today, truth has won, truth has prevailed. Our workers have remained strong. We did not know when we would get bail or when we would be released and naturally, the police work according to their procedures, but it is certain that such oppression will never be tolerated by the people. Making a representation is everyone’s fundamental right, and, as part of that right, we had gone to make a representation. The police may have their own perspective about not making videos, but people are tired of the BJP’s actions and are fed up with the BJP.”