NEW DELHI: Left leaders, reacting to AAP Rajya Sabha MPs joining the BJP, said it was a “brazen betrayal” of public trust and that it was a result of the ruling BJP’s alleged misuse of investigation agencies.
CPI(M) Rajya Sabha leader John Brittas pointed out that the defection follows an Enforcement Directorate (ED) raid against Rajya Sabha member Ashok Mittal and that the Supreme Court had cautioned against the use of central agencies for political ends.
The Central agency had raided Mittal’s business and residential premises in Punjab and Haryana as part of a FEMA probe on April 15.
CPI(ML) general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya said the AAP MPs elected to the Rajya Sabha on an anti-BJP platform should have resigned before switching sides.
“Joining the BJP after getting elected on an anti-BJP vote is a brazen betrayal of the electors’ trust and mandate. These MPs are free to change their politics, but have no right to insult their voters,” he said.