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AAP suffers jolt in Himachal, its state chief Anup Kesari joins BJP
Union minister Anurag Thakur inducts Kesari, two other AAP leaders into saffron party at the BJP national president’s Delhi house on eve of JP Nadda’s state visit
In a major setback to the Aam Aadmi Party in Himachal Pradesh, its state unit president Anup Kesari, general secretary (organisation) Satish Thakur and Una district chief Iqbal Singh have joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in New Delhi.
Also read: Himachal ministers, MLAs to pay tax, five-decade-old practice ends
Union minister Anurag Thakur inducted the three leaders into the party at the residence of BJP national president JP Nadda on Friday.
Nadda on four-day HP visit from today
Nadda is on a four-day visit to Himachal Pradesh from April 9 to 12.
Making the announcement, Anurag Thakur tweeted: “Kejriwal ji, pahadi people will not let you befool them. AAP’s Himachal president Anoop Kesari, organisation secretary Satish Thakur and Una president Iqbal Singh joined the BJP in the graceful presence of our national president Nadda. You are all welcome to the world’s largest political party.”
“All AAP candidates forfeited their deposit in Uttar Pradesh and same would be repeated in Himachal Pradesh,” he added.
Sidelined during Kejriwal, Mann roadshow: Kesari
The development came days after AAP national convener and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann took out a roadshow and rally in Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi town, the home turf of chief minister Jai Ram Thakur, on April 6.
Kesari told the media that workers who built the AAP in Himachal felt insulted by the Delhi and Punjab chief ministers, and soon many more will leave the party.
Kesari was miffed over not being allowed on the open vehicle during the Kejriwal roadshow in Mandi. “Except CM Kejriwal and CM Mann, no one was allowed on the vehicle. It was an insult to the local leadership. We can’t compromise on our self-respect,” he said.
