With assembly polls due in Delhi in February, another BJP leader, from party’s Yuva Morcha , Pravesh Ratn on Wednesday joined the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
He has expressed his admiration for AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal’s impactful governance as a reason behind the step, the AAP said
Senior AAP leader and former Deputy CM of Delhi Manish Sisodia inducted him into the party and attributed his decision to the tangible benefits Kejriwal’s policies have brought to the Dalit community in areas such as education, healthcare, electricity, and water. He belongs to Jatav community.
He has previously held key positions in the BJP and contested from the Patel Nagar Assembly constituency. This marks the fourth major entry from the BJP to AAP in recent days, highlighting a growing trend of leaders across communities aligning with AAP’s vision for inclusive and people-centric governance, the AAP said
Speaking on the occasion, Sisodia expressed his delight over the transformative work led by Kejriwal, highlighting its impact beyond Delhi. He said, “These initiatives have particularly uplifted the underprivileged sections of society, including the jatav, SC, ST, Dalit communities, and backward classes.”
He further added that Ratn, inspired by Kejriwal’s work, is joining the AAP family. He has been associated with the BJP for about 15-20 years, holding senior positions in the Pradesh Yuva Morcha, serving as a district secretary, and even contesting elections from the Patel Nagar Vidhan Sabha constituency on a BJP ticket.
Ratn, speaking on the occasion said that Kejriwal and Sisodia are the driving force behind his decision. Speaking about AAP chief, he remarked, “No matter how much I say about Arvind Kejriwal, it will always be insufficient. He has transformed Delhi in ways that have never been seen before. He has provided Delhi with everything it lacked until now,” he added. The development Kejriwal has brought to Delhi, especially for the community he belongs, has garnered immense love and respect for him, he claimed.
Earlier last month, Anil Jha, a two-time MLA from Delhi’s Kirari Assembly constituency, three-time MLA Brahm Singh Tanwar from Chhatarpur, and B.B. Tyagi, a two-time councilor, former Standing Committee Chairman, from Laxmi Nagar, had also left BJP to join AAP with their supporters.