Raghav Chadha, a former AAP leader, has joined the BJP, bringing six of his party colleagues from Punjab along with him. This move has left the AAP reeling, with the party accusing the BJP of using central agencies to poach its members.
Chadha made the announcement at a press conference in New Delhi, flanked by fellow Rajya Sabha MPs Sandeep Pathak and Ashok Kumar Mittal. He claimed that the AAP had deviated from its principles and values, and that he was the 'right man in the wrong party.'
The move is seen as a significant blow to the AAP, which is gearing up for assembly elections in Punjab. The party has accused the BJP of using the ED and CBI to 'create fear' and poach its members. AAP leader Sanjay Singh called it 'Operation Lotus', a term used to describe alleged BJP-engineered political poaching.
Chadha's departure from the AAP has been a long time coming, with tensions between him and party leader Arvind Kejriwal rising over the past two years. The two had a public spat over corruption allegations related to the Delhi excise policy case of 2023.
The AAP has lost seven of its 10 Rajya Sabha MPs, with only three remaining with the party. The BJP, on the other hand, has gained six new members from Punjab, giving it a significant advantage in the state.
