Former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councilor from Bankner in North West Delhi, Ram Narayan Bhardwaj, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday, the BJP’s state unit confirmed.
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Former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councilor from Bankner in North West Delhi, Ram Narayan Bhardwaj, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday, the BJP’s state unit confirmed.
This development marks another setback for the AAP ahead of the upcoming Assembly polls. It follows the defection of another senior West Delhi politician, Harsharan Singh Balli, and his son, youth leader Gurmeet Singh ‘Rikku’ Balli, who joined the BJP on Sunday.
Bhardwaj was welcomed into the party by Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva, in the presence of Lok Sabha MP Yogendra Chandolia. Bhardwaj’s son, Pradeep Bhardwaj, along with several supporters, also joined the BJP.
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In his address, Sachdeva welcomed the Bhardwaj family into the party, expressing confidence that their support will strengthen the BJP in outer Delhi as it prepares for the upcoming assembly elections. He added that many people are joining the BJP, inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s dedication to national development.
Chandolia shared that Bhardwaj had expressed his disillusionment with AAP leadership, specifically citing AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal’s authoritarian style, which he claimed limits members to listening without contributing. Bhardwaj alleged that the AAP’s leadership places significant pressure on members, hindering their ability to serve the public.
Bhardwaj, who represented the Narela constituency, also described his experience within the AAP as “stifling,” explaining that for the past decade he faced intense pressure, even while holding a chairman’s position.
He claimed that the actions of the party’s leadership often contradicted their public statements, ultimately compelling him to make the switch to the BJP.
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