05 May,2026 01:35 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondent
Chief Minister of Punjab Bhagwant Mann calls on President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan, in New Delhi. Pic/X
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday met President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan, urging her to cancel the membership of six Rajya Sabha MPs from Punjab who recently switched from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), reported PTI.
After the meeting, Mann said he had submitted a formal representation, backed by signatures of all AAP MLAs in Punjab, demanding that the six MPs be disqualified. He argued that their defection violated democratic principles and undermined the mandate given by the people of the state, reported PTI.
Highlighting the distinction between electoral legitimacy and selection, Mann said the Rajya Sabha MPs were chosen by elected legislators and therefore carried the responsibility of representing the people's mandate. "There is a difference between selected and elected," he told reporters, stressing that the MPs were elevated to the Upper House through the support of elected representatives, reported PTI.
The development follows a major setback for AAP on April 24, when seven of its ten Rajya Sabha MPs - including Raghav Chadha, Harbhajan Singh and others - resigned from the party and joined the BJP. Of these, six MPs were from Punjab, significantly weakening the party's presence in the Upper House.
Ahead of the meeting, AAP legislators gathered near the President's office and expressed confidence that their concerns would be addressed. Mann said the delegation aimed to present a unified voice on what he described as critical issues affecting Punjab, including the political implications of the defections.
The Punjab Chief Minister described the move by the MPs as "absolutely unconstitutional" and went further to call it a "murder of democracy." He argued that such actions distort the spirit of representative governance and erode public trust in political institutions, reported PTI.
The episode has intensified the political confrontation between AAP and BJP, particularly in Punjab. With both sides trading allegations, the issue is expected to remain a flashpoint in national politics, especially concerning anti-defection norms and the role of constitutional authorities in such disputes.
(With inputs from PTI)
