AAP MP Ashok Mittal joins BJP days after ED raids

AAP Rajya Sabha MP Ashok Kumar Mittal joined the BJP on Thursday after switching parties. The move came nine days after ED searches linked to his education group, with the probe still underway.

In Short

• ED searched about 10 premises in Gurgaon and Jalandhar on April 15
• Lovely Professional University, Tetr College and Masters’ Union locations were covered
• Mittal’s residence was also searched as part of the FEMA probe

In a significant political development, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MP Ashok Kumar Mittal joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday, just nine days after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted searches linked to him and his education group.

Mittal, a prominent educationist and founder of Lovely Professional University, formally joined the BJP at a press conference.

The development comes in the backdrop of ED raids conducted on April 15 under the provisions of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA). The agency’s headquarters investigation unit in Delhi carried out searches at multiple premises linked to the Lovely University Group.

According to officials, the ED conducted searches at around 10 locations across Gurgaon and Jalandhar. These included premises of Lovely Professional University in Jalandhar, as well as associated institutions such as Tetr College of Business and Masters’ Union School of Business in Gurgaon. Mittal’s residence was also among the locations covered.

The searches were part of an ongoing probe into alleged violations under FEMA, with investigators examining financial transactions and overseas fund flows linked to the group’s educational institutions.

Mittal, who was nominated to the Rajya Sabha by the AAP in 2022 from Punjab, has been associated with the education sector for decades. His entry into the BJP marks a notable shift, especially given AAP’s strong political presence in Punjab.

While Mittal has not publicly detailed the reasons for his switch, political observers see the move as significant, coming close on the heels of central agency action. The BJP welcomed his induction, citing his contributions to education, while the AAP is yet to issue a detailed response.

The ED has not officially commented on the findings of the searches so far, and the investigation remains ongoing.

- Ends