Another setback: Two-time ex-BJP councillor joins AAP

Months ahead of the Assembly elections in the National Capital, the BJP received another setback as its leader and former two-time councillor BB Tyagi on Monday joined the AAP.

2nd exit in 2 wks

• Three-time BJP MLA Brahm Singh Tanwar joined the ruling party last week
• BB Tyagi represented Laxmi Nagar twice in Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD)
• He served two terms as the Standing Committee Chairman and was also BJP Leader of the House
• Tyagi had lost to AAP’s Nitin Tyagi in the 2015 Assembly elections by a margin of merely 4,856 votes

Best platform for meaningful impact

I believe this party offers the best platform for making a meaningful impact. If I can positively affect even 10, 20, or 50 people, my decision to join will be worthwhile.  — BB Tyagi, ex-BJP Councillor

Tyagi joining hands with the ruling party in Delhi is a big blow for the saffron party as it takes place in the backdrop of three-time MLA Brahm Singh Tanwar quit the BJP and joined the ruling party last week.

Tyagi is a two-time former councillor who represented Laxmi Nagar in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD). He served two terms as the Standing Committee Chairman and was also BJP Leader of the House.

AAP National Convener and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal met Tyagi on Monday morning and formally inducted him into the party. He took to X to share the news, “I welcome B B Tyagi into the Aam Aadmi Party family.”

Senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia also welcomed Tyagi, saying, “I am delighted because I have known his work for a long time. He is a grounded leader; when I was working as a journalist living in his area, I saw first-hand how he served Delhiites.”

“I have always felt that Tyagi, with his approach to politics, truly belongs to the AAP, especially under the leadership of Arvind Kejriwal, who has been working for the people for the past decade,” he said.

The Assembly elections are scheduled for February next year, AAP has begun preparing for a fourth term in the National Capital. AAP won 62 seats in the previous Assembly elections and BJP won eight. BJP’s Abhay Verma had won the Laxmi Nagar Assembly seat and the AAP looks forward to regain the seat. The latter had won the seat in 2013 and 2015, however, lost in the 2020 Assembly elections.

Tyagi had lost to AAP’s Nitin Tyagi in the 2015 Assembly elections by a margin of merely 4,856 votes.

“His experience will undoubtedly strengthen the party and help us bring our people-focused politics to even more areas across Delhi.” Sisodia added.

Meanwhile, Brahm Singh Tanwar who also joined after quiting BJP had been a three-time MLA, twice from Mehrauli (1993 and 1998) and once from Mehrauli in 2013. Former AAP MLA from Chhatarpur, Kartar Singh Tanwar, had joined the BJP in July this year, following which he was disqualified by Speaker Ram Niwas Goel under the anti-defection law. Tanwar could likely be a candidate to replace Kartar Singh for the Chhatarpur constituency.

“I had been with the BJP for a long time, but I was genuinely impressed by the Aam Aadmi Party’s efforts to uplift people and provide essential services. What does the average Delhiite need? Quality education for their children, which AAP, led by former Deputy CM Manish Sisodia, has arranged excellently. AAP is also providing free electricity, free water, free travel for women, and many other services.” Tyagi said.