Sun Nov 17 18:39:44 UTC 2024: ## BJP Leader Anil Jha Switches to AAP, Days Before Delhi Elections

**New Delhi:** In a significant development ahead of the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections, two-time BJP MLA Anil Jha, a prominent Purvanchali leader, joined the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Sunday. The move comes just hours after AAP suffered a setback with the resignation of Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot.

AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal welcomed Jha at party headquarters, hailing him as a major acquisition that will bolster the party’s presence citywide, particularly in Kirari, Jha’s former constituency. Sources suggest Jha may replace the current AAP MLA in Kirari in the February elections.

Jha cited Kejriwal’s personality and the AAP government’s work improving the lives of Purvanchalis in unauthorized colonies as reasons for his switch. Kejriwal, in turn, contrasted the AAP’s infrastructure development in these colonies – citing figures for road construction, sewer lines, and piped water – with what he called the BJP’s inaction. He directly challenged BJP leader Amit Shah to highlight any specific benefits the BJP has delivered to Delhi’s Purvanchali community.

While celebrating Jha’s arrival, Kejriwal declined to comment on Gahlot’s resignation from the AAP. The shifting political landscape promises a highly contested election campaign in Delhi.

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