AAP Condemns BJP's Alleged Political Conspiracy Amid Rajya Sabha Defections
Political Turmoil in AAP
Senior AAP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh
Guwahati, April 24: On Friday, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) launched a fierce rebuttal against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) following the defection of seven Rajya Sabha MPs, labeling it as part of a broader political scheme dubbed “Operation Lotus.”
During a press briefing in the capital, senior AAP figure and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh vehemently criticized the defectors, accusing the BJP of orchestrating this maneuver to undermine AAP, especially in Punjab.
“The citizens of Punjab will not forgive those who have abandoned the Aam Aadmi Party,” Singh warned, indicating potential political repercussions for the leaders who switched allegiances.
This incident marks a significant blow for AAP, with notable figures such as Raghav Chadha, Sandeep Pathak, and Ashok Mittal among the seven MPs who resigned to join the BJP. Chadha, in a separate press conference with Pathak, asserted that nearly 70% of AAP's Rajya Sabha MPs had left the party to merge with the BJP.
Other notable defectors include Swati Maliwal and former cricketer Harbhajan Singh, underscoring the extent of the division within the party's parliamentary representation.
Sanjay Singh claimed that the BJP's aim behind these defections was to hinder the operations of the Bhagwant Mann-led government in Punjab, where AAP holds power. He argued that despite the government's achievements in governance, it was being targeted through political tactics.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann also expressed strong disapproval of the situation, accusing the BJP of betraying the people of Punjab.
“BJP has betrayed Punjab. The same ‘washing machine’ tactics were employed against parties like those of Sharad Pawar, Shiv Sena (UBT), and Congress. BJP lacks a genuine base in Punjab,” Mann stated, implying that the defections were a strategy to artificially enhance the party's presence.