New Delhi: Swati Maliwal on Saturday announced that she has joined the Bharatiya Janata Party, a day after resigning from the Aam Aadmi Party along with six other Rajya Sabha MPs. The development marks a major setback for the AAP in Parliament.
Speaking to ANI, Maliwal said, “I have left the AAP and joined the BJP. Since 2006, I have been working with Arvind Kejriwal and supported him during every agitation. However, Arvind Kejriwal had me beaten up by a goon in my own house. I was threatened when I raised my voice against it, and he put immense pressure on me to withdraw the FIR I lodged in this incident.”
Mass exit from AAP
The political shift followed the resignation of Maliwal and six other AAP Rajya Sabha MPs. These include Raghav Chadha, Ashok Mittal, Sandeep Pathak, Harbhajan Singh, Vikram Singh Sahney, and Rajinder Gupta. Chadha said that more than two thirds of the party’s MPs in the Upper House had decided to merge with the BJP.
Allegations against Kejriwal
Maliwal intensified her criticism of Kejriwal. She said the party denied her the chance to speak in Parliament for two years. She called this deeply shameful and accused him of being anti women.
She also raised concerns about the party’s functioning in Punjab. She alleged that the leadership controlled the state government from outside and used it for financial gains. She claimed illegal sand mining and drug use increased in the state. She said the party filed FIRs against those who questioned its leadership.
Praise for PM Modi
Maliwal praised Modi and called him the most popular leader in the world. She referred to decisions related to national security, action against Naxalism, and the women’s reservation bill passed in Parliament. She also mentioned the role of Amit Shah in policy decisions.
She said her move was driven by her belief in Modi’s leadership. She urged people interested in constructive politics to consider joining the BJP.