‘All good people have left Kejriwal’: Rijiju hits back at allegations of ‘coercion’ as Raghav Chadha and 6 Rajya Sabha MPs join BJP | india news
New Delhi: Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Kiran Rijiju took a dig on Tuesday Aam Aadmi Party (you) supremo Arvind Kejriwal Claiming that all the “good people” have abandoned him. He also rejected allegations of “coercion” involving seven Rajya Sabha MPs Raghav Chadha you left and joined BJP.In an interview with ANI, Rijiju rejected allegations that central agencies were used to pressure leaders to switch sides, especially the claims involving the Enforcement Directorate.He said, “There is no question of coercion. The common man has been looted in the name of ‘Aam Aadmi’. Arvind Kejriwal has taken complete control in his hands and has turned the Aam Aadmi Party into his personal party.”Referring to the exodus of leaders, he said, ‘One after another many people from Aam Aadmi Party left the party and even joined BJP or Congress.’Rijiju said, “There is no question of ED. The investigating agency does its work; we cannot comment on it. Now only their core group is left, which together is involved in illegal activities. All the good people have abandoned Kejriwal.”The BJP leader also targeted the opposition India faction and alleged internal divisions and lack of unity among its constituents.“Those who have formed the Bharat alliance are ‘tukde-tukde’. They are not with each other. They all came together to protest against women’s reservation. Then, Rahul Gandhi goes and abuses Arvind Kejriwal,” he said.He said, “Arvind Kejriwal abuses Rahul Gandhi. Rahul Gandhi abuses Mamata didi. They did not come together on principles. They came together only for loot and convenience.” AAP suffered a major blow on Friday when seven of its Rajya Sabha MPs resigned and announced their merger with the BJP, alleging that the Kejriwal-led party has deviated from its founding principles and values.The political change saw two-thirds of AAP’s Rajya Sabha members, including Raghav Chadha, Sandeep Pathak and Ashok Mittal, leave the party and join the BJP. They were later joined by Harbhajan Singh, Rajinder Gupta, Vikramjit Singh Sahni and Swati Maliwal.With this change, the BJP’s strength in the Rajya Sabha has increased from 106 to 113, while the NDA’s strength has increased from 141 to 148, including seven nominated members. With more than 30 seats vacant by the end of the year, the BJP is expected to gain at least five more seats, moving closer to the two-thirds majority mark of 163.Meanwhile, AAP MP Sanjay Singh has written to the Rajya Sabha Secretariat seeking clarification on the unauthorized change in the party’s status in official records, raising more questions amid the political churn.
