In a major political shift, Raghav Chadha and fellow AAP Rajya Sabha members from Punjab have defected to the BJP, prompting a barrage of accusations from opposition parties. Leaders portrayed this as classic BJP strategy to dismantle rivals.
‘Why didn’t Kejriwal boot out Maliwal and Chadha when they openly rebelled?’ Congress’s Abhishek Dutt asked pointedly. He speculated on an impending AAP-BJP merger under Kejriwal.
The Samajwadi Party’s Ashutosh Verma hoped AAP would weather the storm, continuing as Delhi’s key opposition and supporting the INDIA coalition in Punjab. This episode, he said, serves as a wake-up call for AAP’s leadership.
Sanjay Raut of Shiv Sena (UBT) didn’t mince words: BJP’s brand of politics reeks of shamelessness. ‘Yesterday’s BJP bashers are today’s recruits,’ he mocked, noting the seven defectors including Punjab MPs who flipped despite prior rhetoric.
Raut belittled the turncoats as ‘Page 3′ social media celebs, contrasting them with his party’s steadfast Punjab MP—a revered saint focused on environmental causes—who rebuffed defection overtures.
Drawing parallels to freedom fighters, AAP’s Anurag Dhanda emphasized that true leaders opt for resistance, not easy alliances. Traitors fade from memory, he warned.
Sanjay Singh formally urged the Rajya Sabha Chairman to terminate the defectors’ memberships, citing legal grounds post-resignation from AAP. He foresaw public backlash in Punjab and nationwide, predicting AAP’s resurgence post-purge.
