‘Frustration was growing…’: RS member Vikramjit Sahney on what he told Kejriwal at meet before 7 AAP MPs' big move

E-PaperSubscribeSubscribeEnjoy unlimited accessSubscribe Now! Get features like Rajya Sabha MP Vikram Sahney, one of the seven leaders who quit the Aam Aadmi Party, revealed that me met with AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal days before the merger with the BJP. Sahney said, “I met with Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday. I told him about our plans...” (PTI)In an interview with NDTV, industralist and philanthropist Sahney said, “I met with Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday. I told him about our plans...” Sahney said that he had warned Kejriwal that even “one-two MPs” leaving would lead to eventually the two-thirds threshold — the mark required to avoid disqualification under the anti-defection law. “I told him, even if one-two MPs resign (from the Rajya Sabha), then the two-thirds figure will be achieved with just five (more) MPs.” NDTV cited Sahney as saying. The Rajya Sabha MP further said that Kejriwal was unconvinced regarding Sandeep Pathak's resignation. Kejriwal and others in the AAP have not yet reacted to Sahney's claims about a meeting and conversation. Also Read | AAP protests erupt in Jalandhar after BJP switch, homes of rebel MPs targeted Apart from Sahney, six other MPs — Raghav Chadha, Rajinder Gupta, Sandeep Pathak, Swati Maliwal and Harbhajan Singh — left the AAP and merged with the BJP. Reacting to the exits, AAP leaders termed the MPs “traitors (gaddar)”, and further said they had “betrayed” the people of Punjab. After announcing his decision, Chadha said he felt like “the right man in the wrong party”, adding that the MPs had left because they “did not want to be a part of their crime.” Sahney had, on Saturday, told PTI news agency that both Chadha and Pathak had become “frustrated” because they were “sidelined” over the past couple of years. “In the 2022 Punjab elections, where the party got a very historic mandate, Sandeep Pathak and Raghav Chadha played a major role, in ticket distribution, candidate selection, and the overall strategy. But when they were sidelined, they became frustrated,” he said. Also Read | AAP to move Rajya Sabha chair, President against Raghav Chadha-led rebel MPs who joined BJP Sahney added that a “new team took over”, specifically after the loss in the Delhi assembly elections of 2025. The Rajya Sabha MP said the removal of Raghav Chadha as the party's deputy leader in the Upper House had “aggravated” the situation. “Somewhere, the sidelining and ignoring of these two core leaders led to growing frustration, which eventually spread. They spoke to other MPs like us, and it became clear that there was dissatisfaction among everyone. We felt we were not able to serve Punjab the way we should,” Sahney said. In response to AAP leaders' ‘betrayal’ charge, Sahney said the MPs would “continue to serve” the people of Punjab. “None of us has betrayed Punjab or the people of Punjab. Anyone can say whatever they want, but we have always served, and we will continue to serve,” he said. He added that Punjab “needs strong central support”, and said the MPs were “even ready to resign” if needed. “As for legal action, that is part of democracy, cases will go to the Vice President, President, or Supreme Court. From what I understand, there are rules like the two-thirds requirement and provisions for merger. For us, serving Punjab comes first,” Sahney asserted.