AAP Gandhi Nagar MLA joins BJP
New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party MLA from Gandhi Nagar Anil Bajpai Friday joined the BJP, making him the second lawmaker from the party to join the saffron fold in the last two months.
The move comes at a time when AAP leaders, including Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, have accused the BJP of indulging in horse trading. Bajpai joined the BJP in the presence of party national vice-president and Delhi BJP in-charge Shyam Jaju and Union minister Vijay Goel at the Delhi unit office here.
"I worked with the AAP for many years. I was hurt by the lack of respect and the peculiar functioning of the party. It has detracted from its original path," he said.
Reacting to the development, senior AAP leader Gopal Rai said that his party has for sometime been accusing the BJP of trying to "buy" its MLAs.
"As far as Bajpai is concerned, no person would say that they have taken money and going to another party, they would be finding faults within the party. Bajpai had himself come from the Congress, so what issue did he have from the alliance talks that were going on?" he said. Rai added that the BJP did not trust its own MPs and hence, was indulging in horse-trading.
"They (BJP) want to come to power in any way possible," he said. On Wednesday, Sisodia had alleged that the BJP had offered Rs 10 crore each to seven AAP MLAs to switch sides.
Bajpai, however, denied having taken any money for joining the BJP and said Kejriwal was in the habit of making allegations and then tendering apologies.
Former Delhi BJP president and Union minister Goel had Thursday claimed that 14 AAP MLAs were in touch with his party and wanted to quit the AAP due to "frustration and humiliation". Three municipal councilors of AAP have also joined the BJP.
Sitting AAP MP from Punjab Harinder Singh Khalsa, who was suspended from the party, joined the BJP in March. The BJP has also got a unique ally in rebel AAP MLA Kapil Mishra, who Thursday announced a week-long campaign to garner support for the BJP candidates on all seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
