'Harsh decision but can't ignore damage to party by AAP': Senior Congress leader Subhash Chawla joins BJP in Chandigarh

'I cannot ignore the damage AAP's presence inflicted on Congress in the recent municipal corporation election', Chawla said.

Chandigarh: Senior Congress leader and former Chandigarh mayor Subhash Chawla on Wednesday joined the BJP here.

Chawla expressed his dissatisfaction with the Congress-AAP coalition in Chandigarh, citing its detrimental effects on the grand old party's standing in the city.

"Leaving the party, which I joined at the age of 21, was a harsh decision for me to take. However, I cannot ignore the damage AAP's presence inflicted on Congress in the recent municipal corporation election," said Chawla, who has also served as president of Congress' Chandigarh wing.

"AAP is a party which indulges in petty politics. And Congress's decision to join hands with AAP for the Lok Sabha seat will destroy its presence in the union territory," he added.

The former mayor was welcomed into the party fold by BJP national vice president Saroj Pandey, the party's Chandigarh Lok sabha candidate Sanjay Tandon and Chandigarh BJP chief Jitender Pal Malhotra, according to a party statement.

BJP nominee Tandon said, "The Chandigarh BJP has been further strengthened with the joining of Subhash, who has been the strongest pillar of the Chandigarh Congress. I have known him (Chawla) for 25 years and have interacted with him both at a political and personal levels," Tandon said, assuring the new joinee that he would 'find an important place in the heart of the world's largest political party'.

Polling for the lone Chandigarh parliamentary constituency will take place on June 1 in the last phase of Lok Sabha elections.