In what is being called a “surgical strike” on the Aam Aadmi Party in poll-bound Himachal Pradesh, the outfit’s prominent leaders joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in the presence of BJP chief JP Nadda and union minister and Member of Parliament from the state Anurag Thakur.
Sources said Thakur, who has been quite active in the state recently, was behind this defection of virtually the whole AAP local unit to the saffron camp.
In a late-night development, AAP’s Himachal Pradesh president Anoop Kesari, general secretary (organisation) Satish Thakur, and its Una president Iqbal Singh joined the BJP at Nadda’s residence in the national capital.
The exodus of the top three leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party in the region is seen as a big jolt to Delhi chief minister and party convenor Arvind Kejriwal and AAP’s aspirations of spreading its wings in the hill state.
Kejriwal and his party colleague and Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann had recently done a roadshow in Mandi, and that is apparently being seen as a trigger for the defections.
Speaking to News18.com, Anoop Kesari said that the workers who had committed themselves to AAP felt insulted by the Delhi and Punjab chief ministers, and soon many more will leave the party.
“During the roadshow in Mandi, except CM Kejriwal and CM Mann no one was allowed on the vehicle. No leader was given a place on the rath (vehicle). It was an insult to the karyakartas (workers) and we are very proud of ourselves and can’t compromise on our self-respect,” said Kesari who believes that the “Congressisation” of AAP is now complete.
But who is behind the collapse of AAP in the state?
“We came in touch with Anurag Thakur who is ‘aan baan shaan’ of Himachal. We told him that we as workers had been insulted. He told us to do whatever we deemed fit. And that is how we joined the BJP,” said Kesari.
Have they been promised anything in return? “It is unconditional support that we have pledged,” added the former AAP Himachal president.
Meanwhile, Thakur took to Twitter, attacking Kejriwal.
“Arvind Kejriwal, the hills and its people won’t be fooled by you. Due to AAP’s anti-Himachal policies, its state president Anoop Kesari, secretary general organisation Satish Thakur and Una president Iqbal Singh joined the world’s largest political party,” he tweeted.
The elections for 68 assembly constituencies of Himachal Pradesh are slated to take place by the end of this year.
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