NEW DELHI: Following the defection of seven Rajya Sabha MPs from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is set to meet President Draupadi Murmu on May 5 to “safeguard the mandate of the people.” Mann has requested time to discuss the “recall” of the seven AAP MPs who merged with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
In a post on social media platform X, Mann indicated that he would meet the President alone, despite initially seeking an audience with AAP MLAs from Punjab present. The meeting is scheduled for 12 noon on May 5 at Rashtrapati Bhawan, and Mann mentioned that his fellow MLAs will wait outside.
“It is our duty to safeguard the mandate of the people of Punjab and the democratic values. I am delighted to inform you that the Honourable President Droupadi Murmu Ji has granted a meeting time of 12 noon on 5 May. Although we had requested time for all MLAs, I alone have received the invitation to meet,” Mann stated. He emphasized that he would go in to represent the voice of Punjab and its people.
However, it is important to note that there is no legal provision for the recall of legislators. On April 24, AAP faced a setback when seven out of its ten Rajya Sabha MPs—Raghav Chadha, Ashok Mittal, Sandeep Pathak, Harbhajan Singh, Rajendra Gupta, Vikramjit Sahney, and Swati Maliwal—resigned and joined the BJP. They cited a departure from the party’s principles, values, and core morals.
Raghav Chadha announced during a press conference that “we have decided that we, two-thirds of members belonging to the AAP in the Rajya Sabha, will exercise the provisions of the Constitution of India and merge with the BJP.” The merger followed increased tensions between Chadha and AAP leadership, particularly after his removal as deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha, where he was criticized for engaging in “soft PR” instead of a more confrontational stance against the central government.
Chadha’s distancing from the party became apparent after he was abroad during crucial events, including the arrest of AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal in March 2024. Allegations against Chadha included his reluctance to address issues aligned with AAP’s political stance, such as declining to sign a notice for the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and his absence during opposition walkouts in Parliament. Chadha refuted these claims, labeling them “white lies” and challenging party leadership to provide proof.
The merger has been formally accepted by Rajya Sabha Chairman C P Radhakrishnan, reducing AAP’s representation in the Upper House to three members. According to the most recent tally, the Congress holds 29 seats, followed by the Trinamool Congress with 13, the DMK with 8, and the YSR Congress party with 7. The Biju Janata Dal has 6 seats, while the AIADMK holds 5. The Janata Dal (United), Samajwadi Party, and Nationalist Congress Party each have 4 members in the Rajya Sabha.
