"Arvind Kejriwal synonymous with corruption": Delhi BJP chief Sachdeva welcomes AAP's split

New Delhi [India], April 24 (ANI): Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva on Friday launched a sharp attack on Aam Aadmi Party convenor Arvind Kejriwal, claiming that the merger of AAP's two-thirds Rajya Sabha MPs to his party is a "natural" reaction owing to the opposition party's growing "corruption."
Speaking to ANI, Sachdeva said, "This was natural. Some of his MPs are also coming, so we welcome them. Arvind Kejriwal has become synonymous with corruption...Money that should be spent on the people of Punjab is being used by him for his own politics in Gujarat and Goa."
Three AAP MPs - Raghav Chadha, Sandeep Pathak and Ashok Mittal - earlier announced a split in the party and said that two-thirds of the party's members in Rajya Sabha had decided to "merge with the BJP".
Answering queries, Raghav Chadha said that AAP has 10 members in the Rajya Sabha, and seven of them have decided to leave the party and merge with the BJP.
"I am telling you the real reason as to why I distanced myself from party activities. I did not want to be a part of their crimes. I was not eligible for their friendship because I was not a part of their crime. We had just two options - either quit politics and give up our public work in the last 15-16 years, or we do positive politics with our energy and experience," he said.
The MPs merging with the BJP consist of Raghav Chadha, Sandeep Pathak, and Ashok Mittal. Swati Maliwal, Harbhajan Singh, Vikramjit Singh Sahney, and Rajinder Gupta. Among them, many MPs are Punjab-based, leading to pushback from AAP.
In a brief post on X, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo Arvind Kejriwal also slammed the BJP, alleging that the ruling party at the Centre has "shoved" the people of Punjab.
"BJP ne fir se Punjabio ke sath kia dhakka' (The BJP has once again given Punjabis a shove)", he wrote on X.
AAP leader Sanjay Singh also lashed out at the MPs, labelling them "traitors" to the people of Punjab.
Escalating his attack, Singh dismissed the MPs' justification for the split. He characterised the BJP as a party that has "backstabbed" farmers and the people of Punjab, adding, "You will go with them to bring change and revolution. Who will believe such a thing?".
Echoing these sentiments, Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann said, "The seven MPs who are joining the BJP don't represent Punjab, they are traitors," further stating that they would not get benefits in the BJP as well.
This merger could mark a major blow to the AAP, specifically affecting its strength in the Rajya Sabha. (ANI)