In a dramatic turn of events, eight outgoing Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) switched allegiance to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday, just days before the Delhi Assembly elections. Their defection has stirred up significant political discourse, given the timing and the fact that they had already been denied re-election tickets by their former party.
Resignation from AAP and Alleged Corruption Claims
The eight MLAs—Vandana Gaur (Palam), Rohit Mehraulia (Trilokpuri), Girish Soni (Madipur), Madan Lal (Kasturba Nagar), Rajesh Rishi (Uttam Nagar), B S Joon (Bijwasan), Naresh Yadav (Mehrauli), and Pawan Sharma (Adarsh Nagar)—resigned from the AAP’s primary membership on Friday. They cited several reasons for their decision, with the most prominent being allegations of corruption and the party’s shift away from its original principles. The former AAP legislators expressed their dissatisfaction with the direction of the party under Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s leadership, asserting that it had deviated from the ideological path it once promised to follow.
After resigning from the AAP, the MLAs also formally submitted their resignation letters to the Delhi Assembly speaker, relinquishing their membership from the House.
Joining BJP Amid Polls and Political Repercussions
In a significant political move, these eight MLAs were welcomed into the BJP fold, just days ahead of the high-stakes February 5 Delhi Assembly elections. The BJP’s national vice-president Baijayant Panda and Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva were present to greet the newly joined leaders. Panda described the day as “historic,” claiming that the exit of these leaders from the AAP marked the end of the party’s “disastrous” rule in Delhi.
The defection comes at a critical juncture as Delhi voters prepare to head to the polls in just four days. The BJP is positioning itself as a viable alternative to Kejriwal’s AAP, with hopes of making significant gains in the upcoming elections.
The Role of Former AAP Leaders in the BJP
In addition to the eight MLAs, former AAP MLA Vijender Garg and other leaders from the party also joined the BJP on the same day. Their defection further adds to the mounting challenges facing the AAP as it approaches the February 5 elections.
Panda’s comments emphasized that the BJP was ready to provide Delhi with a new direction, free from the alleged missteps of the AAP. The timing of these defections raises questions about the potential impact on voter sentiment just days before the polls.
February 5 Polls and the Road Ahead
The 70-member Delhi Assembly is set to go to the polls on February 5, with results scheduled to be declared on February 8. The elections are expected to be a closely contested battle, with the AAP, led by Arvind Kejriwal, seeking to retain power amid the shifting political dynamics.
As the defections continue to unfold, both the AAP and BJP are gearing up for a hard-fought campaign in the final days leading to the election. The political landscape in Delhi is poised for significant changes, and the outcome of these elections could alter the city’s political trajectory for the coming years.
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