Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann announced on Wednesday that he will meet President Droupadi Murmu on May 5 to discuss the merger of seven Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha members with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Mann stated that the President has granted him an appointment at noon, during which he intends to raise the issue of recalling the lawmakers who switched allegiances. He had previously requested time to meet her alongside party MLAs to press for their recall.
Background of the Political Shift
The development follows a significant setback for AAP on April 24, when seven of its ten Rajya Sabha MPs—including Raghav Chadha, Ashok Mittal, Sandeep Pathak, Harbhajan Singh, Rajendra Gupta, Vikramjit Sahney, and Swati Maliwal—resigned and merged with the BJP, citing a departure from the party's core principles. Among those who left, six were from Punjab. The merger was formally accepted by Rajya Sabha Chairman C. P. Radhakrishnan, reducing AAP's strength in the Upper House to just three members.
Implications for AAP
This mass defection has dealt a severe blow to AAP's parliamentary presence, as the party now holds only three seats in the Rajya Sabha. The move is seen as a strategic shift in Punjab's political landscape, with the BJP gaining significant ground in the state. Mann's meeting with the President underscores the gravity of the situation, as the state government seeks to address the fallout from the defections.
The Chief Minister's efforts to secure a recall of the MPs highlight the ongoing tensions between AAP and the BJP, as well as the broader implications for coalition politics in India. The outcome of the meeting could influence future political alignments and legislative dynamics.
This report includes inputs from PTI.
