The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has urged President Droupadi Murmu to terminate the membership of seven Rajya Sabha MPs who defected to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), alleging that the defections were part of a vendetta politics orchestrated by the ruling party. Both sides presented their cases before the President on Wednesday, with AAP leaders claiming that the defectors had betrayed the mandate of the people who elected them on AAP tickets.
Meeting with the President
The first to meet the President were four of the seven Rajya Sabha MPs who had switched allegiance to the saffron camp. They were accompanied by BJP leaders, who argued that the defections were lawful and in accordance with the anti-defection law. Later, a delegation of AAP leaders, including senior party member Raghav Chadha, met the President to present their side of the story. Chadha stated that the defectors had violated the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution, which prohibits MPs from voluntarily giving up party membership.
Allegations of Vendetta Politics
AAP leaders accused the BJP of engaging in vendetta politics by poaching their MPs to weaken the party. They claimed that the defections were orchestrated to destabilize AAP's presence in the Rajya Sabha, where it holds a significant number of seats. The party demanded that the President take immediate action to disqualify the defectors and uphold the integrity of the anti-defection law. Meanwhile, the BJP dismissed these allegations, stating that the MPs had joined the party of their own free will and that the move was a reflection of AAP's internal failures.
The President is expected to review the submissions from both sides before making a decision. The outcome of this case could have significant implications for the balance of power in the Rajya Sabha and set a precedent for handling future defections.
