CHANDIGARH, APRIL 27 — Environmentalist and Rajya Sabha member Balbir Singh Seechewal stated on Sunday that he was invited to join an “Azad group” on the same day seven of his colleagues moved to the BJP. Seechewal affirmed that the proposal came from Vikramjit Singh Sahney, who allegedly requested him to join a faction of independent members, but he declared that he refused the offer immediately.
The Rajya Sabha member maintained that he could not betray the party that sent him to Parliament. He stated that the exit of the seven MPs, including Raghav Chadha and Sandeep Pathak, was unexpected and characterized the move as a breach of trust. Seechewal affirmed that while he was aware of the transition of his colleagues to the BJP, he chose to remain with the Aam Aadmi Party to uphold his commitment to the leadership.
Seechewal declared that the departure of the senior members would not significantly impact the party’s standing in Punjab. He stated that those who left were selected by the party rather than being directly elected by the public. He maintained that it was particularly surprising to see Chadha and Pathak leave, noting that they had held significant power and influence within the state administration for several years.
The AAP is now left with three representatives in the Rajya Sabha: Seechewal, Sanjay Singh, and ND Gupta. Seechewal affirmed that he has not been contacted by any other defectors or BJP officials following his refusal to join the breakaway faction.
