New Delhi [India], April 24 : In a major setback for Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Rajya Sabha member Sandeep Pathak said he had been associated with the party for a decade but had now decided to part ways. He informed that he had joined AAP, believing in its promise of "new politics and politics of work" while announcing his decision to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
"I had never thought that such a situation would ever occur in my life. But it did. I was a part of this party for 10 years. Today, I am separating my path from that of the AAP. When it came to joining a party, I joined AAP because they spoke of new politics and politics of work. In 10 years, I worked hard. All political decisions I made were taken by prioritising the party's interests," Pathak said in a press conference here.
Pathak further confirmed his move to the BJP, stating, "I am joining the BJP today and giving up all my positions in AAP."
His remarks come days after Raghav Chadha's open rift with the AAP leadership over the removal as the party's deputy leader in Rajya Sabha. Chadha was replaced by Ashok Mittal for the post. However, Mittal, who is an AAP Rajya Sabha MP, also announced his decision, along with Chadha and Pathak, to break away from the Arvind Kejriwal-led party.
Raghav Chadha, Sandeep Pathak and Ashok Mittal announced a split in AAP and said that two-thirds of the party's members in Rajya Sabha have decided to merge with the BJP.
Earlier in the day, Chadha said while addressing a press conference, "We have decided that we, the 2/3rd members belonging to the AAP in Rajya Sabha, exercise the provisions of the Constitution of India and merge ourselves with the BJP."
The press conference was also attended by Rajya Sabha members Sandeep Pathak and Ashok Mittal.
After Chadha was removed as AAP deputy leader in the upper house of Parliament, several party leaders accused him of being soft towards the BJP.
Chadha had hit back at the allegations, calling it a "coordinated attack" and denying claims that he refused to walk out of Parliament or sign an impeachment motion against the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC).