Senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Sanjay Singh on Saturday reacted strongly to Rajya Sabha MPs joining the BJP, calling the development unconstitutional and against parliamentary rules. He alleged that the manner in which the MPs joined the BJP is a violation of constitutional provisions and the anti-defection law. Singh said, “Seven people announced their joining BJP in a manner which is unconstitutional, illegal and against the rules. It is completely wrong in law.”
Citing the anti-defection law, he said, “The anti-defection law clearly states that no division or factionalism of any kind is allowed in the Assembly, Rajya Sabha or Lok Sabha and it has no constitutional validity.”
Reiterating his stand, Singh said the decision of the MPs was invalid and demanded strict action. He said, “The defection of seven Rajya Sabha MPs of Aam Aadmi Party is illegal, wrong, unconstitutional and against parliamentary rules.”
He also announced plans to raise the matter with the Rajya Sabha Speaker. Singh said, “That is why today I will write a letter to the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, the Honorable Vice President, citing all these rules and requesting that the membership of all these seven Rajya Sabha MPs be completely cancelled.” He also alleged that some MPs were seen with the BJP leadership before formally joining the BJP. “At least three of them were clearly seen going to the BJP office yesterday,” he said.
The incident came after the Aam Aadmi Party suffered a major blow when its Rajya Sabha MPs, including Raghav Chadha, who was earlier removed as the party’s deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha, joined the rival BJP on Friday.
Addressing a press conference in the national capital on Friday, Chadha formalized the weeks-long split and announced that two-thirds of the party’s House members would merge with the BJP.
The move drew sharp reactions from Aam Aadmi Party leaders, while the BJP welcomed it warmly. The BJP welcomed the split wholeheartedly and turned it into an attack on Kejriwal, as Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said the move was natural. Moreover, BJP national president Nitin Nabin welcomed the Rajya Sabha MPs at the BJP headquarters in Delhi on joining the Bharatiya Janata Party. On Friday, Nabin extended his warm wishes to all the seven MPs and encouraged them to work towards achieving the goal of a “developed India by 2047”.
