The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday, 2 May launched a sharp attack on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and its national convener Arvind Kejriwal, calling him "scared and anxious" after two FIRs were lodged in Punjab against Rajya Sabha MP Sandeep Pathak, who last week defected to the BJP along with six other AAP MPs.

BJP's Reaction to the FIRs

Delhi Minister Kapil Mishra said Kejriwal's grip on his party was visibly crumbling. "Arvind Kejriwal is scared and anxious. Seven of his MPs have left, and there is no guarantee who will stay or leave. His corruption, authoritarian style, and lies have led to dissatisfaction even among his close associates," Mishra told reporters. He stressed that the MPs who left AAP were Kejriwal's trusted allies, not outsiders, making the exodus all the more significant.

Mishra also raised concerns over the use of the state police. "Instead of engaging Punjab Police to solve criminal cases, they are being used for political purposes against former allies," he said, warning that what happened to AAP in Delhi could be repeated in Punjab.

Vendetta Politics, Says BJP General Secretary

BJP National General Secretary Tarun Chugh accused AAP of pursuing "revenge" against Pathak. "The one who was running your government till the last few days and left due to ideological differences, has now suddenly become a criminal. This is vendetta politics. The people of Punjab will give a strong reply to this," Chugh said.

Chugh also claimed that prominent former AAP leaders — including Prashant Bhushan, Shazia Ilmi, Kumar Vishwas, and Raghav Chadha — who had been part of Anna Hazare's anti-corruption movement, had all walked away after witnessing what he called "Kejriwal's real face." "Today only those people are left in the party for whom power is a source of loot and corruption," he alleged.

Punjab BJP Chief Issues Warning

Punjab BJP President Sunil Jakhar struck a defiant tone, suggesting he himself could be the next target of AAP's political machinery. "Neither Sandeep Pathak, nor Sunil Jakhar or any BJP worker is afraid. I want to tell Arvind Kejriwal that people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones at others," Jakhar said.

Jakhar pointed to what he described as a pattern of targeted action against BJP-aligned figures in Punjab. "Earlier MP Rajinder Gupta was raided, and now Sandeep Pathak is being targeted. AAP's countdown towards losing power has started in the state," he added.

Background and What's Next

The defection of seven AAP MPs — including Pathak, who served as the party's national general secretary and was considered one of Kejriwal's closest confidants — marks one of the most significant internal ruptures AAP has faced since its founding. The FIRs lodged against Pathak in Punjab have sharpened the political battle between the two parties ahead of what analysts see as a critical period for AAP's hold on the state. With both sides hardening their positions, the political temperature in Punjab is expected to remain elevated in the coming weeks.