AAP vs Chadha Fallout: ‘Core Leaders Felt Marginalised’, Says Vikramjit Sahney
Rajya Sabha MP Vikramjit Singh Sahney cited internal dissatisfaction within the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) as the reason behind the recent political realignment by Punjab MPs, insisting the move was driven by governance concerns, not personal ambition.
In an exclusive interview with Times Now, Sahney traced the rift to AAP’s Punjab architects, Sandeep Pathak and Raghav Chadha, who felt repeatedly sidelined after the Swati Maliwal episode and Chadha’s removal from Punjab and Deputy Leader post. “All three core leaders felt bruised,” he said.
While governance failures in Punjab (drugs, debt, unemployment) added to the discontent, Sahney disclosed AAP’s desperate damage-control efforts. Kejriwal called the MPs. During his Wednesday meeting, leaders told him they knew Raghav Chadha was trying to “dislodge things”. “By that time, I think Mr. Ashok Mittal had confided something,” Sahney said. When asked if he would resign, he replied, “Let me think it over.” By Friday, the split had happened.
Sahney rejected “traitor” tags, highlighting his role in setting up six skill centres and a drug rehab facility, and argued the realignment would improve Centre-State coordination for Punjab’s benefit.
He declined to comment on anti-defection law issues and expressed support for Raghav Chadha as a potential Delhi CM face, calling him “capable and efficient” who “represents Gen Z.”
While in another exclusive interview to Times Now, BJP Delhi Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa blamed the exodus on a complete deviation from the party’s original ideals. “The biggest reason for this is that the purpose of forming the Aam Aadmi Party, which was shown by Arvind Kejriwal on TV channels or on social media, was totally different,” Sirsa said.
He added, “What he said was that I do not want security, I do not want a big house, I do not want to move in big cars, my only purpose is to serve the nation. But it turned out to be otherwise. Now his only purpose is to collect money, money, money and money. So that is the reason that everybody is leaving him. It is not just about the 7 Rajya Sabha MPs. Most of his party, who has formed these parties, had left Aam Aadmi Party. And in coming days we’ll see many more will leave.”
On AAP questioning the constitutional validity of the merger, Sirsa said: “See, if there is something unconstitutional, that has to be taken care of by the law, not by Arvind Kejriwal.”
