PTC Web Desk: A major setback hit the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) just a day before the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) bypolls, as senior leader and former two-time MLA Rajesh Gupta resigned from the party and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday.

Rajesh Gupta, who earlier served as AAP’s national spokesperson and Karnataka in-charge, was welcomed into the BJP by Delhi unit president Virendra Sachdeva. The Delhi BJP, in an official statement, said Gupta was formally inducted into the party during a brief ceremony.

Speaking after joining the BJP, Gupta sharply criticised AAP’s leadership and accused the party of abandoning those who had worked hard since the days of the Anna movement. He said many AAP members now feel disrespected and want to leave but hesitate due to emotional and personal commitments.

He expressed disappointment that AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal had not spoken to or met him for a long time. “Arvind ji, you need to think about why people are leaving you. I stood by you everywhere, even on television debates,” he said. Rajesh Gupta became emotional while recalling his journey in AAP, claiming he faced “mockery” and felt neglected despite his constant efforts for the party.

He further alleged that AAP’s biggest downfall is its “use and throw culture,” where committed workers are not valued. Gupta also accused Kejriwal of “betraying” many respected individuals who had joined the party in its early years, forcing them to walk away one by one. “Today, I have also become part of that list,” he said.

Commenting on the MCD bypolls, Rajesh Gupta claimed AAP has fielded a candidate in Ashok Vihar who had earlier received a notice from the party itself. He said his concerns about the candidate were ignored by the leadership.

BJP’s Virendra Sachdeva said AAP leaders are now blaming a government that has been in power for only eight months, while the issues they raise are the result of their own 12-year rule in Delhi. He added that with Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia “missing completely” from the political scene, AAP’s remaining leaders Atishi and Gopal Rai are appearing only occasionally during the campaign.