BJP Inducts 7 Former AAP Rajya Sabha MPs

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has officially welcomed seven former Members of Parliament from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), signifying a notable change in the composition of the Rajya Sabha.

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju announced that Raghav Chadha, along with Sandeep Pathak, Ashok Mittal, Harbhajan Singh, Swati Maliwal, Rajinder Gupta, and Vikramjit Singh Sahney, are now members of the BJP Parliamentary Party. Their induction follows the acceptance of their request by Rajya Sabha Chairman C. P. Radhakrishnan.

This development boosts the BJP’s strength in the Upper House and comes just days after the MPs resigned from the AAP, delivering a significant blow to the party led by Arvind Kejriwal.

Welcoming the new members, Rijiju commended their parliamentary conduct, noting that they have maintained discipline and refrained from using abusive language during their tenure. However, he also launched a sharp political attack on the opposition alliance.

In a social media post, Rijiju referred to the opposition bloc as the “Tukde Tukde INDI Alliance,” a term frequently used by BJP leaders. He described the induction of the former AAP MPs as a step toward “nation-building” under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Rijiju intensified his criticism by targeting opposition parties such as the Congress and Trinamool Congress, questioning their unity. He alleged that despite their public disagreements, these parties collaborate in Parliament on key issues, including opposing the Women’s Reservation Bill.

This latest political development highlights the growing fractures within the opposition bloc as the 2024 general elections approach. While opposition parties often coordinate at the national level, their alliances remain inconsistent across different states.

With the BJP gaining strength in the Rajya Sabha, this shift could have significant implications for legislative proceedings and the political dynamics in Parliament in the coming months.