Senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Sanjay Singh, 54, is the party’s floor leader in the Rajya Sabha. He is now among the three remaining AAP MPs in the Upper House after seven party MPs, led by Raghav Chadha, crossed over to the BJP in April. With other regional Opposition parties like the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Shiv Sena (UBT) currently reeling from splits, Singh speaks to The Indian Express on multiple issues ranging from the cycle of defections to the prevailing political situation. Excerpts:
In recent months, the AAP was the first party to see defections in its parliamentary party in the Rajya Sabha. How do you look at the current series of splits in various Opposition parties?
This is actually not a new thing. Remember that they (BJP) did tod phod (breaking a party) in Uttarakhand, merged the whole Congress unit in Arunachal Pradesh, did tod phod in Karnataka, Goa, Madhya Pradesh. This was not their first such experiment. It is in the BJP’s character to use the ED and CBI against other parties to break their leaders and induct them. And when their utility ends, to make a Chautala out of them. Chautala is the biggest example.
What in your view could be the objective of the BJP for allegedly engineering these defections?
One has to understand one thing: For the BJP, regional parties are the challenge. When such regional parties, which are somehow entrenched here or there, are finished, the Congress will remain its sole opponent. In regard to the proposed One Nation One Election (ONOE) and delimitation, how can (regional) parties with limited resources contest all Assembly and Lok Sabha polls under ONOE? For instance, parties like the Samajwadi Party (SP), with the resources at its disposal, can successfully contest elections in Uttar Pradesh and from there, can expand in Bihar, Haryana, Rajasthan. But if you expect the SP to contest across the country or the Aam Aadmi Party to do the same, it is not possible for us — where are the resources?
What is the current status of the AAP’s challenge to the merger of two-thirds of its Rajya Sabha MPs (seven out of 10 MPs) with the BJP in April?
I have written two letters to the Rajya Sabha Chairman C P Radhakrishnan (against this merger) and, going forward, we will fight this battle legally too if there is no response.
What has been the impact of these defections on the AAP organisation, its cadre and supporters?
There has not been a single paisa’s worth of an impact. In fact, the recent results (in local body polls) in Punjab are evidence that the AAP actually benefited from it. The mentality of the Punjab people is special: they cannot stand that the people “sitting above them” in Delhi are committing atrocities against them, or breaking their party. They are seeing that the BJP has got engaged in breaking the AAP and they are standing with us. It will be counterproductive for them (BJP) in the Assembly elections too.
What does the cycle of such defections mean for the INDIA bloc or the larger political opposition to the BJP-led NDA in the country?
This is a question for parties which are part of the INDIA bloc, we are not part of it.
So, do you think this may pave the way for the emergence of a third front?
I believe that when the people will decide to remove them, whichever party is standing with strength against the BJP will become their choice. Currently, the youth is extremely angry with them. They are unable to tackle inflation, the nation is drowning in debt. The economy and the anger of the youth will become the reasons for their loss in 2029 (Lok Sabha polls). Whichever grouping is against the BJP anywhere will get the votes.
On the question of a youth movement, how do you view the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) — the AAP, too, was born out of a people’s movement?
One thing is very clear – that the RSS-BJP is so scared of them (CJP) that they are getting Abhijeet Dipke attacked… No movement is ever bad, it can have good or bad aims. Its (CJP’s) aims are good — this movement has been launched in response to (NEET) paper leaks impacting 22 lakh students and there needs to be action, whoever is in agreement with its demands should support it.
Are you in touch with parties facing splits like the Sena (UBT). There are even claims about the possibility of an impending split in the SP?
The bit about the SP is baseless. I spoke to (Sena UBT MP) Sanjay Raut ji and I regularly keep talking to others as well.
Would the Opposition raise the issue of defections in the Monsoon Session of Parliament?
Defections will certainly be a big issue (during the upcoming session). It is wrong to split political parties like this by engineering defections. We will fight this both inside and outside Parliament. The party which you represent, the leader in whose name you get elected, the people vote for you on the basis of that symbol and that leader. Two flowers with grass is the TMC’s symbol and Mamata Banerjee is its leader. You are cheating the leader and party for sure, but the biggest betrayal you are doing is with the people who voted for you, people who voted for a secular party led by Mamata Banerjee.
What should be the way forward over defections?
The best way forward is that their (defecting legislators’) membership should be cancelled, which is clearly laid down in the Tenth Schedule. Any party should fulfil both the conditions – merger of both the party as well as its legislature party, not only one condition. There should be a law that whoever is elected from whichever party cannot switch to another party for five years. If they change sides, their membership should not be continued. The law is there, it is clear, but it is interpreted wrongly. What all did TMC MP Saayoni Ghosh not say against you (BJP)? But today, she is good. Now you don’t even have a problem with Yusuf Pathan, a Muslim TMC MP. Only Dawood Ibrahim has yet to join the BJP.
AAP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh addresses a press conference at the party office, in Lucknow on Thursday. (Source: ANI Photo) 
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