NEW DELHI: In a dramatic turn of events, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo Arvind Kejriwal made last-ditch efforts to prevent his party's Rajya Sabha MPs from defecting to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), but his attempts proved too little too late. The defection of seven AAP MPs, including Sandeep Pathak, whom Kejriwal considered a loyalist, has sent shockwaves through the party.
Kejriwal's Desperate Outreach
According to sources, Kejriwal began reaching out to AAP MPs from April 22, making calls and holding meetings with at least Vikramjit Singh Sahney, Ashok Mittal, and Sandeep Pathak. He also spoke to Harbhajan Singh, who was in Mumbai at the time. When Sahney met Kejriwal on April 22, the latter asked if he was under any pressure or had received calls to join the BJP. Kejriwal also met Pathak for one and a half hours and emerged confident that Pathak would not cross over.
However, on Friday, Kejriwal spoke to Sahney again and asked him to meet in the evening. But before that could happen, Raghav Chadha held a press conference in the afternoon announcing the MPs' defection to the BJP. The fact that Kejriwal's efforts failed indicates that the trouble had been brewing for long.
Disgruntlement Within AAP
Sources reveal that not just Chadha, but Pathak had also been disgruntled for quite some time. Both had played crucial roles in the party's victory in Punjab. However, Pathak faced gradual marginalisation after the party lost the Delhi polls. Sahney told TOI that growing disenchantment with the functioning of the state government and the crisis in Punjab were among the reasons for his decision.
Legal Action Sought
Meanwhile, AAP MP Sanjay Singh said on Sunday he has submitted a petition to Rajya Sabha Chairman C P Radhakrishnan seeking disqualification of the seven AAP MPs who have merged with BJP. He said the party would also pursue legal action if needed, claiming that the move violated the anti-defection law. Singh cited several Supreme Court rulings, including those related to Uttarakhand and Arunachal, which clarified that such defections could lead to disqualification.
The defection of seven AAP MPs marks a significant blow to the party's strength in the Rajya Sabha, where it now has a reduced presence. The BJP has gained from this development, strengthening its numbers in the upper house.
