AAP Rajya Sabha MPs Defect to BJP: Party Plans Anti-Defection Law Action

New Delhi: After two-thirds of its Rajya Sabha MPs left AAP and joined the BJP, the party has now begun working on a new strategy. Deliberations are ongoing among party leaders regarding the situation. Late last night, after returning from a visit to Gujarat, senior party leader Manish Sisodia met party convenor Arvind Kejriwal at his residence. Manish Sisodia was in Rajkot to campaign for the party in the Gujarat municipal elections. Party sources said, "After returning to Delhi late at night, Sisodia went straight from the airport to the residence of party convenor Arvind Kejriwal. The two leaders met for more than half an hour. During the meeting, they also discussed the possible impact of the split and what the future strategy should be." This comes after Raghav Chadha said that he, along with six AAP Rajya Sabha MPs, has informed the Chairman of the House, in accordance with the rules, of leaving the party. Now, the Aam Aadmi Party is also set to send a letter to the Rajya Sabha Chairman in this matter. Party sources said, "The chief whip in the Upper House, ND Gupta, will submit a letter to the Rajya Sabha Chairman against Raghav Chadha, Sandeep Pathak and Ashok Mittal." "Gupta's letter will seek action as per the anti-defection law. These 3 leaders were seen in public joining the BJP. Rest four were not seen in the public domain, making that move. Hence, the chief whip will lodge the complaint against the three MPs seen in the BJP office." Senior AAP leader Sanjay Singh had also announced that he will write to the Rajya Sabha chairman to demand the disqualification of the three MPs, citing the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution, which details provisions of disqualification on the grounds of defection. The rupture had been building for weeks, as an open rift between the party was visible after AAP leadership removed Chadha as deputy leader in Rajya Sabha, following which several party leaders attacked him and accused him of being soft towards the BJP. Ashok Kumar Mittal, who was appointed in his place, also joined the BJP along with Sandeep Pathak, Harbhajan Singh, Rajinder Gupta, Vikramjit Singh Sahney and Swati Maliwal.