India, Nov. 29 -- Delhi AAP president Saurabh Bharadwaj on Saturday responded to Rajesh Gupta's exit on the eve of the MCD bypolls, saying the former MLA left the party after being denied a councillor ticket for his wife.

His remarks came just hours after the AAP suffered a major setback ahead of the bypolls, with senior leader and former two-time MLA Rajesh Gupta joining the BJP.

Speaking to news agency ANI, Bharadwaj extended his best wishes to Gupta and narrated his version of events that led to his switch.

"Rajesh Gupta ji is our brother. The party made him contest the MLA election four times, but he could not win. He was demanding a councillor ticket for his wife in the Ashok Vihar by-election," he said.

"The party, with a heavy ...