Big jolt to AAP as three MPs announce split, plan to join BJP

Punjab Congress's Raja Warring termed the AAP split "natural" and warned of more defections. The comment came as 7 of 10 AAP Rajya Sabha MPs, including Raghav Chadha, announced their decision to merge with the BJP, citing ideological differences.

Punjab Congress President and MP Amarinder Singh Raja Warring on Friday said that the split in the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) was "natural" and stated that the party has "no ideology" The Congress leader alerted the AAP to remain cautious over the possibility of their legislators jumping ship to the BJP.

"AAP should remain aware as their 50 MLAs might join the BJP, only MPs have left the party now...The party has no ideology...This was natural...These MPs have no relevance in Punjab...," Warring told reporters here

Major Split in AAP; 7 Rajya Sabha MPs to Join BJP

This comes after three Aam Aadmi Party MPs - Raghav Chadha, Sandeep Pathak and Ashok Mittal - on Friday announced a split in the party and said that "two-thirds of the party's members" in Rajya Sabha had decided to "merge with the BJP".

"We have decided that we, the 2/3rd members belonging to the AAP in Rajya Sabha, exercise the provisions of the Constitution of India and merge ourselves with the BJP," Raghav Chadha said at a press conference, which was also attended by Sandeep Pathak and Ashok Mittal.

Answering queries, Raghav Chadha said that AAP has 10 members in the Rajya Sabha and seven of them have decided to leave the party and merge with the BJP. "There are 10 AAP MPs in the Rajya Sabha, more than 2/3rd of them are with us in this. They have signed, and this morning we submitted the signed letter and documents to the Rajya Sabha Chairman...three of them are here before you. Besides us, there are Harbhajan Singh, Rajinder Gupta, Vikramjit Singh Sahney and Swati Maliwal."

'Moved Away from Core Ideology'

Chadha said that the decision stems from AAP "moving away from its core ideology" and alleged that it is now working for personal benefits.

The move came days after AAP removed Chadha as Deputy Leader in the Rajya Sabha. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)