Congress blames Chadha’s ambition, Kejriwal’s betrayal for AAP exodus

The Congress has strongly criticised AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal after seven Rajya Sabha MPs, including Raghav Chadha, defected to the BJP. Leaders like Sandeep Dikshit and Sukhpal Singh Khaira accused Kejriwal of abandoning the party’s founding principles and focusing on money-driven politics.

New Delhi: The Congress on Saturday hit out at the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and former Delhi chief Arvind Kejriwal, criticising the AAP supremo of “abandoning” the original principles of the party, which made seven of its Rajya Sabha MPs, including Raghav Chadha, switch to the BJP. The Congress leaders also accused Chadha of becoming “overly ambitious”.

Speaking to IANS, Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit said he was not surprised by the MPs’ exit.

---

“Raghav Chadha has been speaking in a strange language for some days and perhaps has become overly ambitious. But from what I have heard, there was perhaps a rift between him and Kejriwal in Punjab,” he said.

Dikshit mentioned that since AAP does not have any particular ideology, ideological differences cannot be the reason.

Also referring to the exit of AAP’s organisational figures like Sandeep Pathak, he said, “Maybe they are unable to see a future for the party, and secondly, they might have been left frustrated due to Kejriwal’s actions.”

Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira called the political development as the “fate” of AAP.

He told IANS, “Arvind Kejriwal had long ago abandoned the original principles of the Aam Aadmi Party. Now, Kejriwal and his party’s complete focus is on the politics of money.”

Khaira alleged that most of the MPs were wealthy corporate businessmen who had nothing to do with the ideology of the Aam Aadmi Party.

“They had purchased these Rajya Sabha seats from Kejriwal. And now that they have found a better shop, they have sold their MP seats in that shop,” he said.

He further accused AAP of having a “business-oriented” governance in Punjab, which, he said, is functioning through the police.

“They have done atrocities on farmers, have looted Punjab’s ecology through the mining mafia and have even given free hand to gangsters. That is why this party will be wiped off from India’s politics after the 2027 Assembly elections in Punjab,” Khaira claimed.

However, Congress leader Husain Dalwai said leaving a party in this manner is “absolutely wrong”.

The party that brought you this far should not be abandoned like this. The BJP intimidates, saying they will use the ED and take other actions. Those who are not committed are the ones who leave.”

About the possibility of AAP MLAs leaving following the MPs’ merger with the BJP, he said, “They will certainly try, but a party does not end like this. If it is a party of ideology, it does not end. The party will remain and continue.”