The BJP is trying to create a split in the party by allegedly using former senior party leader Raghav Chadha as a “tool”, alleged the ruling Aam Aadmi Party’s Punjab unit on Friday. The BJP rejected the charge, calling the allegations baseless.
During a media briefing, chief spokesperson of the AAP Punjab Baltej Pannu said Union Home Minister Amit Shah is trying to weaken AAP by persuading its MPs to break away through Raghav Chadha. He claimed the move was aimed at reducing the Arvind Kejriwal-led party’s strength and voice in Parliament. Pannu said AAP MPs remain united and committed to the party.
“Our party has information that Amit Shah has told Raghav Chadha that if he manages to break seven MPs, he will be made a minister,” Pannu alleged.
He further claimed that Central agencies such as the Enforcement Directorate (ED) are being used to create fear and pressure on AAP MPs, but said these attempts would not succeed.
AAP had recently replaced Chadha with MP Ashok Mittal as the deputy leader of the party in the Rajya Sabha. After Chadha said he had been “silenced, not defeated”, AAP accused him of avoiding criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Centre in Parliament and instead engaging in what it described as “soft PR”.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had also criticised Chadha earlier, saying he believed the leader was “compromised”. Pannu said repeated attempts have been made to break AAP ever since it came to power in Punjab, including alleged efforts to lure MLAs and issue threats. He added that party leaders stayed firm because they joined AAP with a mission. He alleged that the BJP uses agencies like ED and CBI against political opponents whenever elections approach.
“We have seen cases registered against our top leaders, and many were even sent to jail. But nothing substantial came out of those cases,” he claimed. He added that AAP had given Raghav Chadha significant opportunities, including sending him to the Rajya Sabha at a young age.
“But at the BJP’s and Amit Shah’s behest, Chadha is now betraying the party. This is Punjab, and people here do not forgive easily,” Pannu said. He said while the BJP claims it is preparing to contest the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections, people would reject the party because of what he described as continuous attacks on the Punjab government and Punjabis.
Pannu also said that earlier a senior Congress leader had falsely claimed that 35 AAP MLAs were in contact with the Congress. "These are such parties that they have no reply to the works done by AAP in education, health and other fields. These parties have even had to change their poll manifestos. Otherwise, which party used to talk about health and education earlier?" he said.
Responding to the allegations, Punjab BJP leader Vineet Joshi termed the claims baseless and described them as a bundle of lies. “AAP is making completely unfounded allegations,” Joshi said.
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