AAP Seeks Disqualification of 7 Rebel MPs After Defection to BJP

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Sunday moved the Rajya Sabha Chairman C. P. Radhakrishnan, seeking disqualification of seven of its MPs who recently resigned from the party and announced their merger with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), intensifying a political and legal confrontation. Addressing a press conference, AAP MP Sanjay Singh said the party had submitted a petition under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution, requesting termination of the MPs’ membership. He urged the Chairman, who also serves as Vice-President, to take up the matter urgently and deliver a decision at the earliest. Singh said the party had consulted constitutional experts, including senior advocate Kapil Sibal and former Lok Sabha Secretary-General P. D. T. Achary, both of whom opined that the defecting MPs were liable for disqualification under anti-defection laws. The controversy follows the exit of seven Rajya Sabha MPs — Raghav Chadha, Sandeep Pathak, Ashok Mittal, Harbhajan Singh, Rajinder Gupta, Swati Maliwal and Vikramjit Sahney — who cited internal dissatisfaction and governance concerns, particularly in Punjab. The defections triggered protests across parts of Punjab, with AAP workers staging demonstrations outside the residences of leaders such as Harbhajan Singh, Ashok Mittal and Rajinder Gupta. In Ludhiana and Jalandhar, protesters raised slogans branding the leaders as “traitors” and defaced boundary walls with graffiti. Members of the party’s youth wing gathered outside Harbhajan Singh’s residence, alleging betrayal and expressing anger over the move. Minor scuffles were reported in some areas despite police deployment. At Lovely Professional University, protesters targeted Ashok Mittal, burning effigies and vandalising posters during demonstrations. Many protesters accused the MPs of abandoning the party for political gain, calling the move a betrayal of Punjab. Several demonstrators wore black bands as a mark of protest.

Political Fallout Deepens Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann earlier accused the BJP of attempting to destabilise his government, asserting that voters in the state place high importance on political loyalty. The mass defection marks a significant setback for AAP, particularly as Punjab remains the party’s only full-governance state. The exit of prominent leaders has reduced its strength in the Rajya Sabha and exposed internal divisions. For the BJP, the development signals a strategic gain, bringing in leaders with political visibility and networks in Punjab. Analysts say the move could reshape voter perception by projecting AAP as internally divided. With Assembly elections approaching, the episode is expected to have far-reaching implications. As AAP works to contain the fallout and retain its support base, the BJP may look to capitalise on the momentum, setting the stage for a more competitive and fragmented political contest in Punjab.