Akhil rubbishes buzz about him joining AAP

Guwahati: State political circles have been abuzz since Sunday about the possible entry of Raijor Dal (RD) leader and Independent MLA Akhil Gogoi into the Aam Aadmi Party even though Akhil brushed the news aside as ‘speculation’.
Akhil’s association with Kejriwal dates back to the time when Anna Hazare was leading the India against Corruption movement. Kejriwal had joined several protests organized by Akhil and his Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti in Assam against the then Tarun Gogoi government in the state.
Office bearers at the state unit of AAP said they are not aware of Akhil joining Kejriwal’s party, but told TOI that about eight state-level leaders from regional parties, the Congress and the BJP are likely to join AAP soon. “The reports of Akhil joining AAP have been planted by the BJP-led state government to divert attention from the PPE kit scam that has been raised by AAP at the national level,” state joint coordinator of the party, Lakshmi Kanta Dubey, told TOI on Monday.
Clearing the air, Akhil said he has cordial relations with AAP leaders but never had talks with the party specifically for joining it. “I am the president of a regional political party. Can I defect to a national party whenever I wish?” he asked. But at the same time he said that to defeat the BJP and RSS, his party may join hands with other parties like AAP. An RD leader, on condition of anonymity, said if Akhil joins AAP, it would be a pragmatic decision. Recently, the former general secretary of RD, Kamal Kumar Medhi, joined AAP with six central committee leaders of the party. Medhi said several other top-level leaders of the party, who have already resigned from Akhil’s party, will join AAP soon.