NEW DELHI: Days after an open rift with the Aam Aadmi Party leadership, Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha resigned from the party. Chadha, along with six other Rajya MPs, including Sandeep Pathak and Ashok Mittal, on Friday announced that the three were breaking away from AAP and joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).“The Aam Aadmi Party, which I nurtured with my blood and sweat and to which I gave 15 years of my youth, has now completely deviated from its principles, values, and core morals. The party is no longer working for the country or in the national interest, but for personal gain,” Chadha said during the press conference.
The announcement came days after Chadha was removed as the leader of the party in Rajya Sabha by AAP, which in turn, led to intense showdown of words between Chadha and AAP leaders.
Seven MPs who quit AAP are:
- Raghav Chadha
- Swati Maliwal
- Harbhajan Singh
- Sandeep Pathak
- Ashok Mittal
- Rajinder Gupta
- Vikram Sahni
“Many of you have been telling me this for the past few years, and I too have personally felt that I am the right man in the wrong party. I repeat, ‘I am the right man in the wrong party.’ Therefore, today I announce that I am distancing myself from the Aam Aadmi Party and going to the people,” Chadha said.“We, two-thirds of the Members of Parliament belonging to the Aam Aadmi Party in the Rajya Sabha, will exercise the provisions of the Constitution of India and merge with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP),” Chadha announced.“Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the government has taken several strong decisions that earlier leaders were perhaps hesitant to take, whether it is uprooting terrorism or bringing India among the top global economies. The people have endorsed this leadership not once, not twice, but three times. We all feel fortunate to work under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and with the determination of Home Minister Amit Shah, and we will continue to work tirelessly for the nation,” Chadha said.“To those who felt disappointed that, as a Member of Parliament, I might not be able to raise the issues of ordinary citizens because my own party had silenced my voice, I want to assure them not to worry. I will continue to raise all your issues with the same commitment, enthusiasm, and energy,” he added.Harbhajan Singh and Swati Maliwal are among other MPs merging with the BJP.