2 AAP, 1 Cong leaders eager to join our party: BJP

Impressed by the government's decision to scrap Jammu and Kashmir's special status and the BJP's massive Lok Sabha poll victory, two leaders from the AAP and one from the Congress are "eager" to join the BJP, saffron party sources claimed on Saturday.

The three were fielded by their parties from separate Lok Sabha constituencies in Delhi, but lost to their BJP rivals, they said.

"They expressed their eagerness to join the party post Article 370 abrogation by the Modi government," a top Delhi BJP leader said.

"These leaders contested the Lok Sabha polls from separate constituencies in Delhi and lost with big margins. They are now in touch with the BJP showing interest in joining the party," the BJP leader said.

After a failed attempt at stitching a pre-poll alliance for the Lok Sabha elections, the Congress and the AAP fielded candidates on all the seven seats here.

"Apart from their appreciation for Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the way he ended special status of Jammu and Kashmir by scrapping Article 370, these three leaders have also been impressed by BJP's massive victory in the Lok Sabha polls this year," said another top BJP leader, who is in touch with the trio.

They had contested the Lok Sabha polls from South, North West and West Delhi seats, he said, adding they may join the BJP after its national leadership gives a "green signal".

"Two of them had contested Lok Sabha polls on the AAP ticket while one was fielded by the Congress," he added

Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari said many people were interested in joining the party, but did not comment on these specific cases.

"The charisma of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is drawing many people towards the BJP," he said.

The Delhi BJP sources claimed that led by Manoj Tiwari, their national capital unit has managed to make inroads into the Purvanchali and Bihari pockets in Delhi, which were considered AAP bastions.

"It also acted as another reason behind the three leaders decision to switch sides and join the BJP," he said.

The AAP had registered a stupendous victory in the 2015 Assembly polls, winning 67 of the 70 Assembly seats in Delhi, with the support of the Bhojpuri-speaking Eastern UP (Purvanchali) and Bihar natives settled in the city.

"Tiwari is a well-known Bhojpuri actor-singer from Bihar. He has been able to solidly connect to this community which was evident in BJP's impressive victories in municipal polls in 2017 and the Lok Sabha polls this year" they said.

In the run up to the Assembly polls, scheduled early next year, the Delhi BJP has reportedly added around 17 lakh new members, with its leaders claiming it will be a major strength for the party as it looks to upstage the AAP in the national capital.