Defected Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Swati Maliwal on Saturday launched a sharp attack on party chief Arvind Kejriwal, alleging that the party had โstrayed farโ from its founding principles and that its leader had undergone a fundamental change.
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The remarks come a day after AAP suffered a major setback, with seven of its Rajya Sabha MPs, including Maliwal and Raghav Chadha, resigning from the party in one of its biggest internal ruptures since its formation. The other MPs who quit were Sandeep Pathak, Harbhajan Singh, Ashok Mittal, Rajinder Gupta and Vikram Sahney.
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Maliwal, who has since joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi, describing his leadership as โdecisive and strongโ.
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โI left my home, lived in slums for seven years, quit my job and supported every movement. But when I tried to file an FIR after being assaulted, I was beaten up at Kejriwal’s residence by his aide,โ Maliwal told PTI Videos.
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She alleged that when she pursued the complaint, she was โthreatened and pressuredโ to withdraw it.
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โFor two years, I was put under pressure to take my case back, but I did not bow down. Because of this, I was not given even a minute to speak in Parliament by the party,โ she said.
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Accusing AAP of abandoning its core values, Maliwal said the party is now associated with โlies, corruption and hooliganismโ.
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โThe real betrayal is not leaving the party, but not standing by your own principles. People are not leaving out of fear; they are leaving because of Arvind Kejriwal,โ she said, adding that more leaders may quit in the coming days.
Also read: Defections expose deep fault lines within AAP
She further alleged that โno good person can work with him for longโ and accused Kejriwal of duplicity.
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โThere was a time when he carried a Rs 2 pen and wore simple clothes. Today, only his status has changed,โ she said, accusing him of building multiple โsheeshmahalsโ, a term used by the BJP to suggest a lavish lifestyle.
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Maliwal also targeted AAPโs governance in Punjab, alleging that Kejriwal continued to control the state government remotely after the partyโs electoral loss in Delhi.
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โThe Punjab government has become a personal ATM. Illegal sand mining and drug use are happening openly, and corruption is at its peak,โ she alleged, adding that public dissatisfaction in the state was rising.
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She claimed that individuals who once led modest lives had amassed wealth under the partyโs rule, with such developments occurring โunder Kejriwalโs protectionโ.
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Clarifying her decision to join the BJP, Maliwal said it was made after careful consideration.
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โI am not someone who can be scared. I have joined wholeheartedly. If I wanted, I could have joined two years ago,โ she said, rejecting allegations that defectors were pressured by agencies such as the ED and the CBI.
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Meanwhile, AAP leader Sanjay Singh said the party would approach the Rajya Sabha Chairman seeking disqualification of the seven MPs under the anti-defection law.
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โAnti-defection law clearly states that any type of split or faction cannot happen in the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha. It does not carry any legal recognition, even if it’s a two-thirds majority,โ Singh said.
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He also alleged that the defections were part of the BJPโs โOperation Lotusโ, adding that โthe people of Punjab will not forgive the sevenโ.
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Maliwal was elected to the Rajya Sabha in 2024. She had earlier served as chairperson of the Delhi Commission for Women.