In a major setback for the Aam Aadmi Party, three of its Rajya Sabha MPs—Raghav Chadha, Sandeep Pathak, and Ashok Mittal—have defected to the BJP. AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal slammed the move, calling it a 'betrayal of Punjabis'.
Rajya Sabha MPs Raghav Chadha, Sandeep Pathak and Ashok Mittal joined the BJP on Friday after severing ties with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). The MPs formally joined the BJP in the presence of Nitin Nabin here at party headquarters. Nabin marked the occasion by distributing sweets to the MPs
Kejriwal Slams BJP Over Defection
Meanwhile, AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Friday slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after the split in the AAP and alleged that the ruling party at the Centre has once again "betrayed the Punjabis" In a brief post on X, Kejriwal expressed his disappointment, "BJP ne fir se Punjabio ke sath kia dhakka' (The BJP has once again given Punjabis a shove)".
'2/3rd Members Merged with BJP': Chadha
Meanwhile, three party MPs - Raghav Chadha, Sandeep Pathak and Ashok Mittal 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 BJP.
'AAP Deviated 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 AAP, which I nurtured with my blood and sweat, and gave 15 years of my youth to, has deviated from its principles, values and core morals. Now this party does not work in the interest of the nation but for its personal benefits...For the past few years, I could feel that I am the right man in the wrong party. So, today, we announce that I am distancing myself from the AAP and getting close to the public," he said.
The move came days after AAP removed Chadha as Deputy Leader in the Rajya Sabha. (ANI)
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