Former AAP Minister Raaj Kumar Anand joins BJP

Former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Minister Raaj Kumar Anand, along with the party’s Chhatarpur MLA Kartar Singh Tanwar, joined the BJP on Wednesday. Several other AAP leaders, including city councillor Umed Singh Phogat and former AAP in-charge of Himachal Pradesh Ratnesh Gupta, also joined the BJP.

AAP now has 60 MLAs in the 70-member Assembly. The BJP’s strength has also reduced from eight to seven by one after Ramvir Singh Bidhuri was elected from the South Delhi Lok Sabha seat. Mr. Anand was disqualified after he quit AAP on April 10.

While resigning from AAP, Mr. Anand had alleged diversion of funds meant for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes towards other purposes and schemes. He had also claimed that Dalits were not given adequate representation in the party. He subsequently joined the Bahujan Samaj Party and fought the general election from the New Delhi seat.