New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has termed the resignation and defection of seven Rajya Sabha MPs as a “betrayal of Punjab,” while accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of engineering a political split within the party using central agencies and pressure tactics.
The party alleged that the BJP is creating internal divisions and forcing leaders to switch sides through fear and intimidation. AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal, in a post on social media platform X, said that the BJP has once again betrayed the people of Punjab.
The development comes after seven Rajya Sabha MPs, including Raghav Chadha, Sandeep Pathak, and Ashok Mittal, reportedly left the party. In a press conference alongside Chadha, Sandeep Pathak announced their decision to join the BJP. Chadha claimed that nearly two-thirds of AAP’s Rajya Sabha strength—seven out of ten MPs—had exited the party and would join BJP as a group.
He further stated that MPs including Swati Maliwal and former cricketer Harbhajan Singh were part of the group making the switch.
Senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia strongly criticized the move, saying that those who switched sides due to “fear, greed, and personal compulsions” would never be forgiven by the people of Punjab. He remarked, “Punjab never forgives traitors.”
Sisodia added that while party workers in Gujarat are risking their lives to strengthen AAP’s ideology, some leaders have chosen to switch sides for personal gain.
AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh also accused the top BJP leadership, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, of weakening AAP by influencing its leaders. He said that the people of Punjab would remember those who betrayed their mandate.
Singh further alleged that individuals who were recently under ED scrutiny are now joining the BJP, calling it a clear case of “Operation Lotus.”
AAP national media in-charge Anurag Dhanda also alleged that central agencies are being misused to create fear among party leaders and force political realignments.
The party maintained that those who entered Parliament with the support of Punjab’s voters have “stabbed the state in the back,” and warned that the people will not forgive such actions.
