AAP shows legislative strength as seven Rajya Sabha MPs switch to the BJP

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann reached Delhi with MLAs after Rajya Sabha defections, seeking action and raising questions over political loyalty shifts.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann visited the national capital on Tuesday along with several MLAs to project that the Aam Aadmi Party still holds support within its legislative group, following the defection of seven Rajya Sabha members to the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Bhagwant Mann leads AAP delegation in Delhi after Rajya Sabha defections to BJP trigger political tension.

Six of the seven MPs are from Punjab. Mann submitted a memorandum to Droupadi Murmu seeking their removal from the Upper House. The demand has no constitutional backing since Rajya Sabha members cannot be recalled. The MPs who switched sides also met the President and alleged pressure from the Punjab government.

Later, AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal met party MLAs to review preparations for the upcoming Assembly elections.

After meeting the President, Mann told reporters: “An amendment should be made in the Constitution for creating a provision for recall, as Raghav Chadha had been demanding, so that these MPs can be punished for treachery…. These selected leaders, elected by the representatives of the people, should be dismissed from the House for backstabbing the people of the state.”

Among those who joined the BJP, Raghav Chadha and three other MPs also met the President. Speaking to reporters later, Chadha said, “We left the Aam Aadmi Party on April 24, 2026, and merged with the BJP. Since then, our MPs have been harassed. First, World Cup-winning cricketer Harbhajan Singh had ‘traitor’ written outside his house. Stones were thrown at his residence with the help of the Punjab police, and offensive slogans were raised targeting his family.”