"It's not about ideology but working style": Vikramjit Singh Sahney clarifies leaving AAP for BJP

New Delhi [India], April 25 (ANI): Following the merger announcement with the BJP, Rajya Sabha MP Vikramjit Singh Sahney on Saturday clarified that the move was not a rejection of AAP's initial intent but a difference in "working style" with the BJP, dismissing claims that the BJP or RSS don't recognise Sikhs to counter communal narratives often used in regional politics.
Sahney was one of the MPs who decided to merge with the BJP, as announced by MPs--Raghav Chadha, Sandeep Pathak and Ashok Mittal on Friday.
Speaking to ANI, Sahney painted a grim picture of his home state, describing it as being in the "ICU" due to neglect and drug insurgency.
"It's not about ideology, it's about working style. The party was built well, professionals were brought in, and I appreciate that. But the real question is governance -- what narrative do we set for Punjab, and how much progress have we made in four years? Claims that the BJP or RSS don't recognise Sikhs are baseless," he said.
"We took this decision seeing the crisis in Punjab. There is an agrarian crisis, plight of farmers is deplorable. The groundwater level there is dropping...Punjab has a debt of 4,50,000 crore. Freebies and subsidies are at peak. There are no jobs in Punjab. When people don't get jobs, the youth fall prey to drug addiction. Punjab is in the ICU. Industries are moving out," Sahney added.
Highlighting Home Minister Amit Shah's respect for the Sikh community with instances of Gurdwara visits and performing seva there, he asserted that Hindu-Sikh unity in Punjab is deep and rooted in family and tradition. "Our ideology is not division, it is unity in diversity," he said.
Looking forward, Sahney argued that Punjab's survival depends on a relationship with the Central Government rather than constant friction. He expressed confidence that the BJP is "capable of doing much," with a willingness for dialogue.
"Punjab's crises -- whether farmers' issues or environmental concerns -- cannot be solved through constant protests and confrontation. We must create an atmosphere where the Centre extends a hand to struggling Punjab."
The Rajya Sabha MP cited previous successful interactions with Union Ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and Amit Shah regarding Chandigarh and university disputes as evidence that discussion yields results. "The truth is, cooperation and discussion achieve results. Grudge politics and venom only fuel division. Dialogue remains the path to solutions, and Punjab's voice must be heard with respect," he said.
After the announcement of the merger, MPs Raghav Chadha, Sandeep Pathak and Ashok Mittal parted ways with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Friday and subsequently joined the BJP in the presence of party leadership.
Addressing a presser in the national capital, Chadha informed that Sandeep Pathak, Harbhajan Singh, Rajinder Gupta, Vikramjit Singh Sahney and Swati Maliwal have also switched to the BJP.
Raghav Chadha said that they have informed the Chairman of the House, in accordance with the rules, of leaving the party. He formalised a split that had been building for weeks, announcing that two-thirds of the party's Upper House members would merge with the BJP.
Meanwhile, Raghav Chadha, on Saturday, after his exit from AAP, alleged that the party has deviated from its core principles and no longer provides space for honest workers.
"Today, every true patriot who nurtured the Aam Aadmi Party with their blood and sweat and joined it with great expectations has either left the Aam Aadmi Party or is leaving it. Every honest, hardworking person feels that there is no longer room for work in the Aam Aadmi Party. And the Aam Aadmi Party is now walking on a wrong path that no one wants to be associated with. Consequently, one by one, many leaders have left the Aam Aadmi Party," Chadha said. (ANI)