'BJP has betrayed Punjabis again': Kejriwal after Raghav Chadha leads major AAP exodus

NEW DELHI: Aam Aadmi Party supremo Arvind Kejriwal connected Friday reacted to what is being seen arsenic 1 of the strongest setbacks faced by his enactment aft Raghav Chadha and six different MPs announced their determination to articulation the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Directing his onslaught astatine the BJP, Kejriwal said, “The BJP has erstwhile again betrayed Punjabis.”Kejriwal’s remarks, referencing Punjab, came minutes aft his erstwhile adjacent adjutant Raghav Chadha led a question of defections to the BJP, on with respective MPs.

Apart from Chadha, those named successful the exodus see Sandeep Pathak, Ashok Mittal, Swati Maliwal, Harbhajan Singh, Rajinder Gupta, and Vikram Sahni.The Chadha-led exodus marks 1 of the astir important setbacks for the Kejriwal-led enactment since its enactment successful 2012, which followed the momentum of Anna Hazare’s anti-corruption movement.Raghav Chadha , on with Sandeep Pathak and Ashok Mittal announced a divided successful the Aam Aadmi Party. They said that two-thirds of the party’s members successful the Rajya Sabha person decided to merge with the Bharatiya Janata Party."We person decided that we, the 2/3rd members belonging to the AAP successful Rajya Sabha, workout the provisions of the Constitution of India and merge ourselves with the BJP," Raghav Chadha said astatine a property conference, which was besides attended by Sandeep Pathak and Ashok Mittal.

Answering questions, Chadha said the AAP has 10 members successful the Rajya Sabha, and 7 of them person decided to permission the enactment and articulation the BJP."There are 10 AAP MPs successful the Rajya Sabha, much than 2/3rd of them are with america successful this. They person signed and this greeting we submitted the signed missive and documents to the Rajya Sabha chairman...three of them are present earlier you. Besides us, determination are Harbhajan Singh, Rajinder Gupta, Vikramjit Singh Sahney and Swati Maliwal."Chadha said the determination was taken due to the fact that the AAP has “moved distant from its halfway ideology” and is present moving for idiosyncratic benefits."The AAP, which I nurtured with my humor and sweat, and gave 15 years of my younker to, has deviated from its principles, values and halfway morals. Now this enactment does not enactment successful the involvement of the federation but for its idiosyncratic benefits...For the past fewer years, I could consciousness that I americium the close antheral successful the incorrect party.

So, today, we denote that I americium distancing myself from the AAP and getting adjacent to the public," helium said.This determination comes conscionable days aft the AAP removed Chadha arsenic lawman person successful the Rajya Sabha.After the announcement, respective enactment leaders criticised Chadha and accused him of being brushed towards the BJP.Chadha denied these allegations and called them a “coordinated attack.” He besides rejected claims that helium refused to locomotion retired of Parliament oregon motion an impeachment question against the main predetermination commissioner.In a station connected X, Chadha said a planned run was being tally against him."A scripted run has been going connected against me. Same language, aforesaid words, aforesaid allegations. This is nary coincidence, but a coordinated attack. At first, I thought I shouldn't respond. Then I thought that if a prevarication is repeated 100 times, immoderate radical mightiness judge it. So, I decided to respond," helium said.