Mumbai, April 27 (IANS) The Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (UBT) on Monday claimed that the joining of seven AAP MPs, including Raghav Chadha, into the BJP was a “merger of corruption”, coming after weeks of political speculation.

Slamming the move, the Thackeray camp in an editorial in the party’s mouthpiece ‘Saamana’ said Chadha — who once labelled the BJP a “party of goons” — was welcomed with sweets by BJP President Nabin. These leaders have entered the BJP’s “washing machine”, where their past corruption charges are effectively cleansed. The transition is characterised as a strategic escape from legal scrutiny.

The editorial offers a scathing critique of the current political climate, stating that leaders like Chadha and Ashok Mittal lack “political character” and are merely following the “grain” provided by the ruling party. “One stream of corruption from AAP has simply merged into another corrupt stream of the BJP,” it claimed.

“While Prime Minister Modi and HM Amit Shah deliver speeches on morality during election campaigning in West Bengal, they are simultaneously dismantling opposition parties in Delhi and Punjab…Only ten days before the defection, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted raids on Ashok Mittal’s educational institutions and businesses over money laundering allegations. Chadha, whose name appeared in the Delhi liquor scam charge sheet, had previously left for London with his wife to avoid arrest. He returned to India only after striking a deal with the central leadership,” noted the editorial.

“In Maharashtra, leaders like Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar surrendered, and in Delhi, Chief Minister Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, and Sanjay Singh were sent to jail over the liquor scam, said the editorial.

The editorial said that Chadha claims that because he has the support of two-thirds of the Rajya Sabha MPs, he is legally merging the AAP legislative group into the BJP. “This stance is illegal and unconstitutional. The Tenth Schedule of the Constitution explicitly states that any split, even with a two-thirds majority, is not recognised. Therefore, the defection of these seven MPs is unconstitutional,” said the editorial.

“The current administration, the Election Commission, the Supreme Court, and the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha seem to lack respect for these constitutional provisions. A similar case regarding defections in the Shiv Sena and NCP has been pending before the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court for four years. Despite former Chief Justice Chandrachud acknowledging the illegality of the defections, no action was taken against the rebel MLAs under the Tenth Schedule. As hearings are repeatedly adjourned, these defectors continue to enjoy power in Maharashtra,” said the editorial.

The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena, in the editorial, asked, “Why mourn those who surrender? These defectors are all accused of various corruption cases documented by the ED and other agencies. Figures like Shinde, Chadha, and Mittal lack political character, and the BJP itself has become characterless in its pursuit of power. This has unfortunately become the defining character of Indian politics: if “grain” is scattered, these “parrots” will continue to fly towards it. Let them fly,” it said.

“The BJP’s political hunger is likened to the mythical demons Bhasmasura and Bakasura, seeking to swallow the entire opposition,” remarked the Thackeray camp.

–IANS

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