New Delhi: Anna Hazare, who claims to be an anti-corruption activist, has defended the defection of seven Rajya Sabha MPs from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), a move that has plunged the party into a deep political crisis.
Backing the MPs’ decision, Hazare maintained that individuals in a democracy are entitled to make their own political choices, while signalling that internal problems within AAP may have driven the leaders to quit. He also pointed to a failure on the part of the party leadership, suggesting that such a mass exit reflects deeper organisational issues that were not adequately addressed.
The defections involve key figures, including Raghav Chadha, along with Ashok Mittal, Sandeep Pathak, Harbhajan Singh, Rajendra Gupta, Vikram Sahney and Swati Maliwal. Their coordinated resignation and swift alignment with the BJP have intensified AAP’s charge that the ruling party is actively orchestrating defections to weaken the opposition.
Hazare’s remarks come amid growing criticism that his recent positions appear increasingly sympathetic to the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). This marks a stark contrast to his earlier association with AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal during the 2011 anti-corruption movement, when the two worked closely in protests and hunger strikes in Delhi.
According to a report by NDTV, Kejriwal had made a last-ditch attempt to prevent the split by asking the MPs to resign their seats and seek re-nomination in the next term if they had grievances. He had also invited them for discussions at his residence, but the meeting did not take place as the MPs went ahead with their decision to leave.
The controversy is further sharpened by ongoing investigations involving some of the defectors. Swati Maliwal has been named in a case by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), while Raghav Chadha is facing scrutiny from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the Delhi Jal Board case. Ashok Mittal has also reportedly faced a series of ED raids in recent days.
AAP has alleged that these actions are part of a broader political operation aimed at coercing opposition leaders into switching sides, accusing the BJP of deploying central agencies as instruments of pressure and then facilitating a “whitewashing” of those who defect.
The episode represents one of the most significant setbacks for AAP in recent times, raising serious concerns about internal dissent, leadership control, and the increasing overlap between investigative processes and political realignments in India.