The official added that a thorough background check of the councillors was being conducted and the party high-command was yet to take a decision in the matter.
Even though the municipal polls in the national Capital are over six months away, election jitters have already taken over the political parties, with several sitting councillors making plans to change sides.
Sources in the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) claimed that as many as 11 Congress councillors were engaged in talks to join the party. “Five Congress councillors have approached us from the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC), whereas three each have approached us from the East and North Delhi Municipal Corporations. While six had approached us last week, another five approached us over the weekend,” said a top party official.
The official added that a thorough background check of the councillors was being conducted and the party high-command was yet to take a decision in the matter.
“The party is seriously mulling over accepting at least three of the six people who had approached us initially. They are also likely to contest elections on the party ticket. The decision regarding the councillors who approached us later, however, is yet to be taken,” the source added.
Delhi Congress Chief Ajay Maken, however, refuted AAP’s claims, terming them a political ploy by the party to save its sinking ship. “These are baseless claims by AAP. If they are true, the party should make the names public. In fact, many senior AAP leaders and MLAs have approached us recently. It seems these rumours have been floated to divert public’s attention,” Maken said.
The AAP has seen a sudden influx of leaders from other political parties earlier as well, during the Assembly elections. The names included Imran Hussain, Kirtar Singh Tanwar, Raghuvinder Shaukeen, Naresh Balyan and Rakesh Kumar, among others.
All three municipal corporations in Delhi are governed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), while the Congress is the principal Opposition. Meanwhile, exit of sitting councillors from the party will be a major blow to the Congress.
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