Two AAP MLAs, Anil Bajpai from Gandhi Nagar and Bijwasan MLA Devinder Sehrawat, had joined the party ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. (Express photo by Vishal Srivastav)The BJP central leadership has told its state unit to tread cautiously while letting MLAs from other parties join, and ascertain if they truly believe in the BJP’s “ideology” or are merely switching sides for tickets in the Delhi Assembly polls next year.
As per a senior leader, the state unit has been told not to promise tickets to AAP MLAs in case they want to join the party. “Five more AAP MLAs are in touch, but the senior leadership has told the state unit to be careful… the general elections have shown that no AAP MLA is strong enough to ensure a transfer of votes,” he claimed.
“We won’t guarantee a ticket, but that doesn’t meant it’s a complete no. It will be decided depending on their popularity and if they believe in the party’s ideology,” he added.
Two AAP MLAs, Anil Bajpai from Gandhi Nagar and Bijwasan MLA Devinder Sehrawat, had joined the party ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.
“MLAs who switch sides usually ask for a ticket, but our experience has not been very good when we made such promises in the past,” said the leader.
He said the party regrets its decision of giving a ticket to Ved Prakash, who switched from AAP to BJP, during the Bawana bypoll. “Our survey showed Gugan Singh would have performed better, but we had to give Prakash a ticket as we promised him one. This cost us the seat,” he said. AAP’s Ram Chander won the bypoll.
Singh, who was earlier with the BJP, switched to AAP in 2017 and contested from the North West Delhi constituency.
