- 7 hours ago
In a major blow to the AAP, Raghav Chadha and six other Rajya Sabha MPs quit the party to merge with BJP, triggering a massive political crisis.
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00:00Thank you very much for watching To The Point. I am Preeti Chaudhary.
00:11While we might be in West Bengal, lots of action taking place in the national capital, Delhi.
00:16It seems seven of Rajya Sabha MPs of the Ahmadami Party have defected to the BJP.
00:22You saw three hold that press conference, which was spearheaded by no one else, Raghav Chadha.
00:28The latest news break that is coming in on that, Ahmadami Party's Rajya Sabha whip, N.D. Gupta,
00:35now will submit a letter to Rajya Sabha chairman against Raghav Chadha, Sandeep Pathak, Ashok Mittal.
00:42The three Rajya Sabha MPs that held the press conference suggesting that they have two-thirds of the 10 MLA's
00:49MPs in Rajya Sabha
00:51and they will be going and defecting to the Bharatiya Janata Party.
00:57N.D. Gupta's letter to the chairman, to the Rajya Sabha chairman, will seek action as per anti-defection law.
01:06These three leaders were seen in public joining BJP.
01:10What about the other five is something that the Ahmadami Party is asking.
01:14The rest four, I beg your pardon, were not seen in public.
01:17Hence, the chief whip will launch the complaint against the three MPs seen in the BJP office.
01:24So, who you saw, viewers, was of course Raghav Chadha, Sandeep Pathak and the man who replaced Raghav Chadha as
01:32deputy LOP in Rajya Sabha, Ashok Mittal.
01:36There are others which have been named who have defected.
01:39One, Swati Malewal already.
01:41There has been a fair amount of rancor, apprehension and distance where Swati Malewal is concerned from the Ahmadami Party.
01:50She had publicly run a campaign against the Ahmadami Party during Delhi elections.
01:55The other, cricketer Harbhajan Singh.
01:58He wasn't also seen in public saying he's leaving the party nor has he issued a statement.
02:04Then, you had Rajinder Gupta.
02:07Neither, he has been seen in public in that press conference defecting.
02:12Neither, Vikram Sahani.
02:14So, the Ahmadami Party approaching the chair of Rajya Sabha.
02:19Aishwarya is joining me with more.
02:21Aishwarya, till now, three MPs from Rajya Sabha of Ahmadami Party openly seen suggesting that they are going to the
02:29BJP
02:30and saying they have two-third of the ten MPs of Ahmadami Party.
02:35Yet, the other four till now have not openly come out and made the claim that they too are leaving
02:42for the Bharatiya Janta Party.
02:48Well, definitely, you know, Preeti, that is something which is hidden at the moment.
02:52The names, obviously, were taken by none other than Raghav Chadha.
02:55And he did say that the three of us are sitting in front of you.
02:58The other four names he took.
02:59And he said that all of them, in fact, have now signed a letter.
03:02And that letter has been submitted to the chairperson of the Rajya Sabha.
03:05So, now it has become a tug of war.
03:07Raghav Chadha's word against what the Ahmadami Party is saying.
03:10And the letter which now, from what you just said, ND Tiwari will be going and submitting that letter
03:16versus the letter that Raghav Chadha said already has been signed.
03:19And today itself has been submitted with the chairperson of the Rajya Sabha.
03:22So, it's my word versus your word.
03:24That kind of tug of war that we are seeing at the moment taking place.
03:27But let me tell you, they were all smiles.
03:29It is my word versus your word between Raghav Chadha and the Ahmadami Party.
03:33But what is the BJP saying?
03:34Are the other four, namely Harbhajan Singh, Mr. Gupta, all of them, the other four, Swati Malewal,
03:42are they also coming?
03:43What is the BJP saying?
03:47Well, the BJP is very, very confident that yes, definitely they are coming.
03:51Because, you know, everything happened in public, I, Preeti.
03:54It's not some, you know, conversation which has happened behind locked doors.
03:58So, it is something that everyone saw, that press conference which happened at about 3.45 today.
04:02And it was a big shocker because, yes, you know, let me tell you the names that we were hearing
04:06in the park corridors, Raghav Chadha 1, Swati Malewal 2, even Sandeep Patak's name,
04:11that was the name which actually had started gaining ground,
04:14especially in the park corridors within the Bharti Janta Party.
04:16So, these were the names that we were hearing over the past 3 to 4 months.
04:20The question was, when will they jump through?
04:22When will they cross that Lakshman Rekha?
04:24They have all crossed the Lakshman Rekha, but yes, you know, the other four yet to come out in public.
04:33Thanks, Aishwarya, for joining us because, yes, it was quite out in the open that three names,
04:38namely Swati Malewal, on the other hand, Raghav Chadha and Sandeep Patak could be going to the BJP.
04:45What about the other four names? That's the big question.
04:50I want to bring in my colleague Amit who tracks the Aam Admi Party very closely.
04:54Amit, you have now the Aam Admi Party approaching the Rajya Sabhad chair,
05:00invoking the anti-defection law, saying, yes, three MPs have come out,
05:05but where is the two-third of the ten? Where are the other four?
05:08What is the Aam Admi Party sources telling you?
05:11My sources also, Amit, say that Bhagwan Tman, who had picked personally Harbhajan Singh,
05:17tried to get in touch with Harbhajan Singh, but his calls haven't been accepted yet.
05:26I think possibly Harbhajan would be busy with the IPL schedule which is going on right now,
05:31but as far as Aam Admi Party is concerned, they have decided their strategy for tomorrow morning.
05:36ND Gupta, the chief of the party in Rajya Sabha, will be submitting that letter with the chair of the
05:42Rajya Sabha
05:43and asking to take action on the basis of anti-defection law against Ashok Mittal, Raghav Chadha and Sandeep Patak.
05:51Now, what happens is that Raghav Chadha has already claimed that they have indicated that early today,
05:58in the morning itself, they had submitted with the chairperson of the Rajya Sabha
06:03that they are merging their Aam Admi Party into the PGAP with seven Rajya Sabha MPs.
06:09So, that intermission has been given to the Rajya Sabha chairman's office quite before,
06:15rather 24 hours before the first intermission that will go from the Aam Admi Party.
06:20So, possibly this will also lay down of what's left for the complaint which will be lost by the Aam
06:27Admi Party,
06:27with the Rajya Sabha chairman.
06:28I did cross-check with my sources saying that why are you going after these three when it's being claimed
06:34that all seven MPs of your Rajya Sabha, you know, seven of the ten are joining the BJP,
06:41have merged their party with the BJP.
06:42My sources said that because these three were the ones who were seen in public domain
06:47inside the BJP office joining the BJP while other fours haven't.
06:51Is there an attempt, Amit, right now, to placate the other four?
06:56Of course, Swati Malewal is out of the question.
06:59She has already pretty much left the Aam Admi Party for all practical purposes.
07:04But the other three, the other three names, Rajinder Gupta, Harbhajan Singh and the third name,
07:11are they also, are they being placated by the Aam Admi Party?
07:20I don't think so, there's anything left for Aam Admi Party in this particular case
07:23because Vikramji Singh Sahani, as in case of Ashok Mittal, is also a businessman.
07:32Obviously, he was not ideologically as aligned as Raghav, or for that matter, Sandeep Pathak with the party.
07:38He was chosen for a different kind of skill set as Aam Admi Party had one Punjab.
07:43They wanted representation of different classes, different, you know, stakeholders of the society.
07:49And that's when Vikramji Sahani, or for that matter, Mr. Gupta,
07:52or for that matter, one name that's left in that Punjab chaat, Balbir Singh Sitchewal,
07:59you know, they were picked up by the party.
08:01They were sent to the Rajasabad.
08:02So, I don't think there's much scope left for the party.
08:04It's all about optics to save embarrassment henceforth for Aam Admi Party
08:08because, of course, that letter is being written to the Rajasabad chairman's position.
08:12You're right there.
08:13And word is rife that the next in line could very well be Mr. Sitchewal.
08:18Thank you, Amit, for joining us and Aishwarya.
08:22I want to quickly take you through the dramatic developments that have taken place
08:25over the course of the last four or five hours,
08:27where the Aam Admi Party has lost seven Rajasabha MPs,
08:32bringing their count to just three.
08:34And the Bharatiya Janata Party, that hardly has any MLAs in the Assembly in Punjab,
08:41from the state of Punjab, have gained six MPs.
08:50From being the poster boy of the Aam Admi Party
08:53to scripting its biggest shock exit.
08:57Raghav Chadda has quit the Aam Admi Party and joined the BGP.
09:01But this exit did not come out of nowhere.
09:05It follows days of internal friction and a very public humiliation.
09:10And now, the final break.
09:13Ahead of crucial Punjab elections next year, Chadda walks out.
09:17Saying he was the right man in the wrong party.
09:21Aam Admi Party aaj poori tarikacee se,
09:24apne siddhant Bayou se, apne mulliyo se,
09:27apne core moral or values se bha'tak chuki hai.
09:32Aora behe party daish ke liye nahi,
09:35daish ke hit ke liye nahi,
09:36balkhi aepne personal faydaye ke liye kaam kar rahi hai.
09:40Piçhle kuch saaloung se yye mahasoos kar raha tha,
09:43that I am the right man in the wrong party.
09:52But this isn't a lone defection. It's a coordinated political shift.
09:58Ashok Mittal, Sandeep Pathak, Harbhajan Singh, Rajendra Gupta, Vikramjit Sahane, Swati Malewal all dumped up.
10:09Seven out of ten Rajasabha MPs have crossed over with him to the BGP.
10:14AARP's upper house block now stands decimated.
10:18Inside AARP, anger and accusations.
10:21The BGP Party, Narendra Modi and Amish Shah's operation Lotus,
10:33the BGP Party, and the BGP Party's good work has begun.
10:45foreign
10:47foreign
10:47It started to be a big deal.
11:17Politically and personally, this cuts deep.
11:21Raghav Chadda, once Kejriwal's most trusted aide, was part of AAP's journey from the beginning
11:27and given top positions at a relatively young age, but now leads the rebellion.
11:33Sandeep Pathak, AAP's organisational backbone in Punjab, fiercely defended Kejriwal and AAP during the liquor scam case.
11:42Ashok Mittal, whose elevation triggered much criticism within the party.
11:48From inner circle to opposition benches.
11:52But how did these MPs switch sides and still keep their seats?
11:58The anti-defection law brought in 1985 to stop the Aya Ram Gaya Ram politics normally disqualifies MPs who switch
12:06parties.
12:07But there is a key exception.
12:09If two-thirds move together, it is treated as a merger, not affection.
12:46All right, let's cut across.
12:47Preeti ji, the Aam Admi Party is built on sacrifice, struggle and hard work of lakhs and crores of people.
12:54We struggled for everything.
12:57We have been fighting for the rights of people since day one.
13:00For the last 12 years, Bhartiya Janata Party tried every dirty trick in their book.
13:05They jailed our leaders in false and fabricated case where even the Honourable Court has discharged all of our leaders.
13:12But they languished behind bars for no reason, for no crime.
13:16And we focused on providing the basic amenities of life to the people.
13:25And you know what, it takes real courage to stand against such a party which tries to crush you every
13:37now and then.
13:38Wherever there is the opposition, they use ED, CBI and income tax.
13:44They file false and fabricated case against them.
13:47If someone doesn't believe it, then the Bharatiya Janata Party will be able to get the seven who have joined
13:52today.
13:53And in case we refuse to budge, we refuse to pour down before this autocratic government, then we are put
13:59behind bars.
14:00You can't forsake your role in not being able to keep your MPs and your flock together.
14:06Seven out of ten, that's huge where perception is concerned.
14:11I'll come right back.
14:12I want to go to Tuhin Sinha.
14:13Tuhin Sinha, I want to take you through.
14:15One second, sir.
14:15I'll just come back to you.
14:17Tuhin Sinha, I want to take you through a bit of context in all of this.
14:21Raghav Chadda, the BJP, had said Raghav Chadda has amassed a lot of money from Punjab.
14:28He's part of the corrupt politicians in Punjab.
14:32Look how much he spent on his wedding.
14:34Number two, Sandeep Pathak, you have yourself, which is the Bharatiya Janata Party,
14:39multiple times said he played a major role in various corruption cases against the Amadmi Party.
14:46There have been raids by the Enforcement Directorate on Ashok Mittal.
14:50Just to give you a small glimpse of the lot that you have inducted in your political party.
14:55Suddenly, it seems all of them are clean.
14:59Well, Tuhin Sinha, in politics, we make allegations.
15:02But, you know, till the time those allegations don't get proved, it will be unfair to boycott these politicians.
15:08So, barring Mr. Mittal, against whom there was an ED raid...
15:12But Tuhin Sinha, by that virtue, I'm sorry I'm coming in.
15:15Allow me to...
15:16But, by that virtue, the liquor scam is not proven.
15:19The liquor scam is not proven.
15:21The case is going on.
15:22Then, Arvind K. Jival and Rahab Chandar sit in the same boat as per your explanation.
15:26On your show, I am giving you the assurance that Arvind K. Jival, Manish Sisodia, Sanjay Singh and Satyendra Jain,
15:34even if they want to come to the BJP, the doors will always be closed upon them
15:39because they are the kingpins of corruption.
15:41Arvind K. Jival has led the biggest scam.
15:44But, that case is also going on.
15:47You're saying until and unless guilty, they are innocent.
15:50So, you're saying Ashok Mittal is innocent.
15:52You're saying the charges that the BJP made against Raghav Chadda, he's innocent.
15:56Sandeep Pappap, he's innocent because they haven't been proven guilty.
15:59EDZ is Ashok Mittal.
16:00I'm trying to say.
16:05One ED probe, one ED raid does not mean...
16:09It's not one ED raid.
16:11You have...
16:12Tuhin Sinha.
16:14Tuhin Sinha, I would think...
16:15Arvind K. Jival has been...
16:17has spent a, you know...
16:19Tuhin Sinha, let me educate you.
16:21Let me educate you, Tuhin Sinha.
16:23If you think you should talk to Mr. Ashok Mittal, who is now...
16:27I'm telling you, hear me out.
16:29Hear me out.
16:30You're not even capable.
16:31Sir, hear me out.
16:32How can you educate me?
16:33Tuhin Sinha, hear me out.
16:34When you're drawing a completely fabricated equivalence.
17:00Ask Ashok Mittal, who is now your party colleague.
17:03How many times the ED has raided Ashok Mittal?
17:05Not once, sir.
17:06It's over four times.
17:08So therefore, there is a presumption of him being guilty.
17:11There are seven people.
17:13There are seven people who are joining the BJP.
17:15And why are they joining BJP?
17:17Because Arvind K. Jival has led the biggest camp in the guise of Arm Admi Party.
17:22You know, he came to fight corruption.
17:24He joined hands with Congress Party.
17:26After saying that he will...
17:27You know, he swears on his children that he will never join hands with the Congress Party.
17:30He's obnoxious with a convicted criminal, Lalu Yadav.
17:33So obviously, when, you know, people in 2012, 13, those who gave Chanda, corporate professionals,
17:38if they can ask their money back, what is the big deal if some individuals who don't connect
17:44with his politics want to come out?
17:46And by the way, how many times has Arvind K. Jival interacted with Raghav Chanda in the last
17:50two years?
17:50There was a complete communication breakdown between them.
17:53So don't blame us.
17:54And also, let me caution you, there are reports that even Bhagawan Man does not like his,
18:01you know, the way Arvind K. Jival wants to control Punjab.
18:05So today, tomorrow, if some MLA's want to come out, would you again blame the BJP?
18:14Okay, because, okay, that's, it's quite interesting.
18:16I was just giving you the various facets of this argument to Hinn Sina.
18:20It wasn't to get into an argument.
18:22The fact that where Mr. Mittal is concerned, there have not been one for him.
18:28No, no, so let me also give you a point.
18:29There was something there.
18:30It also remains to be seen.
18:32Sir, it's not an argument.
18:33It's not an argument.
18:34I want to bring in, I want to bring in Neeraj Chaudhary into this conversation.
18:38I don't have much time.
18:50Sir, we did debate that, didn't we?
18:53You should have taken her earlier.
18:54What was stopping you?
18:55If that was what the reason of inducting people.
18:58I want to just get in Neeraj Chaudhary into this conversation.
19:01Neeraj Chaudhary, the optics of it all.
19:03So much in politics is all about optics.
19:05To lose seven Rajya Sabha MPs at this juncture doesn't look good for the Amadmi Party.
19:15Absolutely.
19:17And, you know, the Raghav Chaudhary going over to BJP was more or less expected.
19:22And they removed him from a position also.
19:25So, going with six people doesn't look good.
19:29Absolutely right.
19:30It's the fourth largest party in the Rajya Sabha.
19:33And it's a huge setback for Arvind Kejriwal.
19:36The charge will be he's unable to keep his flock together.
19:40Now, there is also going to be implications for the Punjab government.
19:46There is going to be implications for BJP's Punjab plan.
19:51And I think also ultimately for the Congress party.
19:54So, this is not a standalone development, only affecting Rajya Sabha MPs from the Amadmi Party.
20:02Now, the timing of it is very interesting.
20:05It's coming days before the second phase of polling in West Bengal, which is to take place on 29th April.
20:15But West Bengal has emerged as a very critical place.
20:20And today, Mr. Amit Shah claimed on the basis of their feedback that they are winning 110 out of 152
20:29seats that went to the polls yesterday.
20:32Mamta Banajwi said, her side has said that we are winning 125, that a part.
20:36But obviously, this is meant to build a momentum for the BJP in the second phase.
20:45That BJP is now, you know, out for power elsewhere, has a plan for other states going to the polls
20:53next year.
20:54I think also, I don't see it personally as a standalone development.
21:00Could this lead to a revolt within the Amadmi Party in Punjab Assembly?
21:06Question mark.
21:07We don't know.
21:09If it does, what happens?
21:11Is it only limited to these MPs?
21:14Or is there a larger rethinking?
21:20Many, Ms. Chaudhary, are actually contemplating in discussing that, that possibly next is going to be a break in the
21:28party in Punjab.
21:30Remains to be seen what comes of that.
21:32Many would also suggest that this is not the last of the lot.
21:36All eyes on Mr. Sechevala, whether he is also going to defect to the BJP or not.
21:41But having said that, we are going to let it rest what the BJP has actually also done with this
21:46induction is to the next election, which is Punjab.
21:50Coming in next year, has been declared open the campaign for that with this development.
21:54There will be multiple developments which will be coming in.
21:56Short of time, too much news break.
21:58Thank you for all our guests for joining us.
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