Ahead of polls, BJP’s Purvanchali leader joins AAP

New Delhi: In a significant boost to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) ahead of the Delhi Assembly elections, prominent Purvanchali leader Anil Jha, a two-time MLA from Kirari, joined the party on Sunday.

Jha, who has worked extensively for the welfare of the Purvanchal community, was welcomed by AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal at the party’s headquarters,

marking a key defection from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to AAP.

Kejriwal, wearing Jha with the party’s signature cap and ‘patka,’ praised his contributions, emphasising how his joining would strengthen AAP not just in Kirari but across Delhi. “When it comes to discussing Purvanchal in Delhi, Anil Jha is regarded as one of the most prominent leaders in the city. With Anil Jha joining the AAP, the party

will get strengthened not only in Kirari but in the entire Delhi,” said Kejriwal.

The Delhi Chief Minister also highlighted AAP’s work for the Purvanchal community, particularly in unauthorized colonies, where the party has made significant improvements. “We have now provided drinking water to about 1,650 colonies. I have built 10,000 km of roads and lanes in unauthorised colonies in the last 10 years,” Kejriwal said. He added, “We have given a life of

respect to the society of Purvanchal in Delhi.”

Anil Jha, reflecting on his decision to join AAP, expressed his admiration for Kejriwal’s work, particularly for marginalised communities. “If someone is truly making social justice a reality, it is Arvind Kejriwal,” Jha stated. He emphasised the transformation of unauthorised colonies, where the price of land has surged from Rs 2,000-3,000 to Rs 70,000-1,50,000 per square yard due to improved infrastructure, water, and sanitation facilities under AAP’s governance.

Jha, who had spent 32 years with the BJP, criticised the party’s leadership, calling it a “graveyard of Purvanchal leaders and workers.” He promised to work as a dedicated party worker for AAP, aiming to bring social justice to the Purvanchal community.

AAP MLA Durgesh Pathak echoed similar sentiments, stating that Kejriwal’s work had transformed the living conditions in areas where Purvanchalis reside. “These areas now boast excellent roads, water pipelines, and proper sewer lines,” Pathak noted.