HS Phoolka, who quit the Aam Aadmi Party last week, today responded to speculation about his joining the BJP following a series of meetings with party leader Vijay Goel. The Union minister was a longtime friend and had been quietly helping him with cases involving the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, Mr Phoolka said.
In a tweet today, Mr Phoolka said: "Meeting @VijayGoelBJP is no news. We are good friends& meet often. When I became LOP he invited me for dinner at his Haveli. He has been helping me in #1984SikhGenocide cases quietly without claiming any credit. I meet every leader who support our fight4Justice."
The 63-year-old lawyer, who has been working to get justice to the riot victims for the last three decades, said he quit AAP as he wished to devote the next few years to social causes.
After recent conviction of former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar, Mr Phoolka quit AAP, saying the focus next will be on Jagdish Tytler and Kamal Nath – two other senior leaders of the Congress whom eyewitnesses had accused of being involved in the riots.
HS Phoolka said he and BJP's Vijay Goel were "good friends and meet often"
Kamal Nath has been recently named the chief minister of Madhya Pradesh.
AAP has been divided over its fresh stance regarding Congress after it was co-opted into the proposed united opposition front against the BJP. Last month, several AAP leaders had to face the displeasure of the top leadership after a resolution was passed in the state assembly seeking withdrawal of the Bharat Ratna awarded to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.
There were reports that lawmaker Alka Lamba, who was adamant on passing the resolution recommending the withdrawal of the late Prime Minister's award, was asked to resign. The legislator, who ultimately did not resign, claimed her decision to not support it had angered party colleagues.
Delhi's Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia later clarified that there was no mention of Rajiv Gandhi in the original resolution and the addition was hand written by a legislator.
Mr Phoolka said the fight for the 1984 riots victims was his "life's mission".
"Sajjan Kumar's conviction has been a huge victory for all of us. Now we have to ensure that Congress leaders Jagdish Tytler and Kamal Nath are also put behind bars and this battle will be fought through a common platform," the former AAP leader had said.