New Delhi/Shimla: After registering victory in Punjab assembly polls, the AAP was eyeing Himachal Pradesh where the assembly election is due at the end of 2022. But, the party received a big jolt when Himachal AAP president Anup Kesari, the party's organizational general secretary Satish Thakur, and AAP's Una president Iqbal Singh joined the BJP in the presence of saffron party's national president JP Nadda and Union minister Anurag Thakur.
On Wednesday (April 6), AAP as part of its show of strength organized a roadshow at Mandi in which Delhi chief minister and party's convener Arvind Kejriwal, AAP Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann and several other leaders were in attendance. But just after the two days of the roadshow at Mandi in Himachal Pradesh, that was on April 8 (Friday), the AAP received a big jolt in form of the party's organizational structure coming crashing down in Himachal Pradesh.
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Speaking about AAP Himachal leaders joining the BJP, Union minister Anurag Thakur, said, "Arvind Kejriwal, those living in Mountains cannot be fooled. AAP's anti-Himachal policy forced these leaders to join the BJP, the world's largest party in the presence of the party's national president JP Nadda. The leaders quitting AAP are welcomed by the BJP family. AAP candidates lost deposits on all the seats the party contested in Uttar Pradesh. Now, they should get ready to repeat the same in Himachal also."
Anurag Thakur further said, even opponents believe in Prime Minister's policy and leadership. Because BJP's policy is inclusive growth without any prejudice and discrimination.
Meanwhile, reacting to Kesari's shift from AAP to BJP, Manish Sisodia, senior AAP leader, and Delhi Deputy CM, said the party was about to expel Kesari on Saturday. "We were going to expel him today. BJP, the world's biggest political party, is scared of Aam Aadmi Party. The extent of fear is such that at 12 o'clock in the night, BJP president JP Nadda and Minister Anurag Thakur get such a person from AAP to join BJP, who has complaints of indecent remarks against women lodged against him," Sisodia said.
Further calling Kesari 'characterless', the Deputy CM said BJP was the appropriate place for someone like him. "AAP has a clear principal. We do not keep such people with us," the former stated.
