Gujarat: Setback for AAP continues as 5 first-time elected corporators join BJP

The Aam Aadmi Party suffered yet another setback on Friday with five of its corporators from Surat jumping the ship to the BJP. They were among the 27 corporators who had won the polls on AAP tickets for the first time which was the party's first electoral success in Gujarat. AAP had emerged as the main opposition party in Surat municipal corporation.

The five corporators Ruta Kakadia, Bhavna Solanki, Manisha Kukadiya, Jyotika Lathiya and Vipul Movaliya joined the saffron party in a function held at BJP headquarters in Gandhinagar in the presence of Minister of State for Home Harsh Sanghavi, general secretary Pradipsinh Vaghel, among other leaders. BJP claimed that these leaders left AAP as "they were annoyed with the party's working system."

Reacting to the development, AAP alleged that "BJP is trying to break the party by luring its leaders with money."

Addressing a press conference, the party's state president Gopal Italia said, "BJP is damaging democracy with its money power. They want to break our party which is emerging as a strong opposition in the state."

Italia claimed that party leaders are being "approached and lured by the BJP with money."

The setback for AAP came barely a fortnight after the resignation of three of its leaders including well-known Surat-based businessman Mahesh Savani, folk singer Vijay Suada and Nilam Vyas from Ahmedabad. Sources said that AAP is likely to crumble further with BJP aggressively trying to poach its prominent faces.

AAP is unable to hold its flock together after becoming the main opposition party in Surat municipal corporation last year by winning 27 seats out of 120. Recently, it held a major protest at BJP headquarters, Kamalam, in Gandhinagar on December 20, demanding action against officials in the recruitment scam. The Gandhinagar police had arrested over 90 party workers that included all top leaders such as state president Gopal Italiya, Isudan Gadhvi, among others.

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