Six corporators of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Gujarat have joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) within the presence of state cupboard minister Harsh Sanghavi. Welcoming the AAP corporators into the occasion fold on late Friday night time, Sanghavi, the Gujarat Home Minister, stated “the country is now witnessing the true face of the AAP”.
“AAP leaders spared nothing to defame Gujarat and the people of the state. Corporators of AAP joined the BJP with a pledge to develop their respective wards,” he stated. One of the six corporators, Ruta Kheni, stated she was influenced by the BJP`s ideology and Prime Minister Narendra Modi`s management model. Meanwhile, the AAP`s state unit alleged that its corporators have been being threatened and persuaded into defecting to the BJP. AAP corporator Dipti Sakariya stated in a video assertion that she was provided cash to affix the occasion.
Rachna Hirpara, one other AAP corporator, stated: “Offers have been made to us ever since we won the election. BJP has been giving offers, and many corporators fell for it and took up to Rs 50 lakh to join the ruling party.” In the February 2021 Surat Municipal Corporation elections, the AAP bagged 27 wards within the 120-member civic physique. The Congress did not open its account, whereas the BJP gained 93 seats. In February 2022, 5 AAP corporators had already switched to the BJP however certainly one of them later rejoined the AAP. With the newest defections, the AAP`s power within the Surat civic physique has been diminished to 17.
