The crisis intensified when Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann met the President, seeking the cancellation of the rebel MPs’ membership. He described their move to merge with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as “unconstitutional” and a direct attack on democratic norms. Supported by signatures from 95 Members of the Legislative Assembly, Mann argued that a legitimate merger requires a collective decision by the entire party, not a unilateral move by a section of MPs in one House. He asserted that the development was not a merger but a manipulation of the constitutional framework and called for immediate legal intervention.
Earlier the same day, AAP leader Raghav Chadha, accompanied by fellow MPs including Sandeep Pathak, had also met the President. They alleged that the Punjab government was engaging in “dangerous vendetta politics” following their decision to merge with the BJP. Chadha claimed that state machinery was being deployed to intimidate and target them through raids, police cases, and administrative pressure.
The rebel MPs cited specific incidents, including alleged harassment of Harbhajan Singh, where slogans labeling him a traitor were reportedly written outside his residence. They also pointed to action against businesses linked to Ashok Kumar Mittal and legal proceedings initiated against Pathak. Chadha stated that they had exercised their constitutional rights and were now being punished for it, warning that further cases could follow, including against himself. Pathak described the police cases as fabricated and declared his readiness to challenge them legally, asserting that governance cannot be driven by fear.
The political optics of the day further intensified the confrontation. While Mann met the President alone, several AAP legislators from Punjab were stopped near Rail Bhawan amid heavy police deployment. The Chief Minister had requested a joint meeting but was granted an individual appointment.
Responding to the allegations, Mann rejected claims of vendetta and maintained that any action taken by his administration would strictly adhere to the law. He sharpened his criticism of the BJP, accusing it of encouraging defections and providing protection to leaders after they switch allegiance. He also reacted strongly to suggestions by BJP leaders that Punjab could be the party’s next political target, asserting that the state is not a territory waiting to be politically captured and warning that any attempts to destabilize his government would fail. He emphasized that Punjab Police would act against wrongdoing irrespective of political affiliation.
Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu criticized Mann’s approach, remarking that AAP legislators were left waiting outside in the heat while the Chief Minister proceeded alone to meet the President.
At the center of the dispute lies the April 24 development in which seven AAP Rajya Sabha MPs, constituting two-thirds of the party’s strength in the Upper House, announced their merger with the BJP. While the rebel group claims constitutional legitimacy for their decision, the AAP leadership insists that the move violates both the spirit and the letter of the law.
With both sides invoking constitutional provisions and escalating the matter to the President, the confrontation has evolved into a significant political and legal test. The outcome is likely to have far-reaching implications for party discipline, anti-defection laws, and the broader framework of democratic accountability in India.
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