Aam Aadmi Party leader Saurabh Bharadwaj held a press conference Sunday alleging that the BJP actively promotes him to destabilize his own party [1].

The accusations come amid a significant shift in legislative power following a wave of defections that threatens the AAP's influence in the upper house.

Bharadwaj said the BJP's tactics are designed to create internal friction. He described the opposing party's approach, saying, "He consistently hangs back" [1]. The AAP leader also characterized the political climate and the nature of the opposing leadership as "Big netas, deep pockets" [1].

These comments follow a major blow to the Aam Aadmi Party, as seven Rajya Sabha MPs quit the party to join the BJP [2]. The party said these defections are a betrayal of the people of Punjab [2].

The departures have altered the composition of the Rajya Sabha. Following the merger of these members, the BJP's strength in the chamber has risen to 113 [3]. Meanwhile, the AAP's strength has plummeted to three members [3].

Bansuri Swaraj of the BJP responded to the ongoing political tension, referring to the "Anti‑woman face of the AAP" [1].

Bharadwaj used the live session to address the fallout from the losses and to respond to claims that the BJP is attempting to elevate certain AAP figures to weaken the party's collective leadership [1, 2].

“"He consistently hangs back"”

The sudden defection of seven MPs represents a critical blow to the Aam Aadmi Party's legislative leverage, reducing its Rajya Sabha presence to a nominal few. By accusing the BJP of 'promoting' its rivals, the AAP is attempting to frame these losses not as a failure of party loyalty, but as a calculated psychological operation by the ruling party to erode the AAP from within.