AAP’s Karnataka Second in Command Joins BJP Ahead of Assembly Polls

Karnataka: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) faced a major setback on Wednesday as its prominent face Bhaskar Rao joined the BJP. Bhaskar Rao was AAP’s Karnataka vice-president and former Bengaluru top cop. He left AAP within a year of joining the party.

After joining the BJP, Bhaskar Rao said the AAP has “no transparency”.

“There is no transparency in the AAP. Money is collected in the name of anti-corruption but not used for it. Money is collected in the name of fighting the BJP, but is not used for it. I became uncomfortable after Manish Sisodia’s arrest. Only a coterie runs the party. If they are clean, they should give evidence to court. One by one, leaders are being jailed,” he said.

“We all should join hands to strengthen Prime Minister Narendra Modi who is striving to make ‘Ek Bharat, Samruddh Bharat’ (One India, Prosperous India). I am also impressed by the prominence given to youth and women in the BJP,” he said after joining the BJP.

Bhaskar Rao met Karnataka’s Revenue Minister R Ashoka on Tuesday. His defection comes ahead of Arvind Kejriwal’s five-day Karnataka visit on March 4.