3 AAP councillors join BJP ahead of MCD Standing Committee member polls

New Delhi, Sep 25 (PTI) In a jolt to the AAP on Wednesday, three councillors of the party joined the BJP, a day before election of one member to the MCD's Standing Committee.

AAP's Dilshad Colony Garden councillor Preeti, Green Park councillor Sarita Phogat and Madanpur Khadar East councillor Praveen Kumar joined the BJP in the presence of party's state president Virendra Sachdeva and Leader of Opposition in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) Raja Iqbal Singh.

The election for filling up the lone vacancy of 18 member Standing Committee, the highest decision making body of the MCD, will be held on Thursday. The vacancy was created by the resignation of BJP councillor Kamaljeet Sehrawat after her election from the West Delhi Lok Sabha seat earlier this year.

The three councillors also took membership of the saffron party during an event at the Delhi BJP office here.

Preeti said that she was a four-time councillor and has always remained among people trying to help in solving their problems related to civic issues.

"I joined Kejriwal and his party believing they wanted to do something different but now I was forced to quit the AAP as a different atmosphere exists there and it became unbearable for me," she said.

The MCD councillor also slammed Chief Minister Atishi and the local MLA of her area, claiming no body in the ruling party in Delhi listened if anyone raised grievances of people like drains and dirty water supply.

No immediate reaction was available from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) that also rules the MCD. PTI