The Aam Aadmi Party has escalated its response after seven of its Rajya Sabha MPs quit the party and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party, calling it a clear case of defection. Party leader Sanjay Singh has formally submitted a petition to Rajya Sabha Chairman C. P. Radhakrishnan, demanding the immediate termination of these MPs’ memberships. According to AAP, the move directly violates the anti-defection law, as the leaders were elected on the party’s ticket but later switched sides.
The political shock intensified as prominent names like Raghav Chadha, Sandeep Pathak, and Ashok Mittal were among those who resigned and merged with BJP, citing dissatisfaction with the leadership of Arvind Kejriwal. However, AAP has strongly rejected these claims, arguing that the defections are a betrayal of the public mandate, especially in Punjab, where most of these MPs were elected. The party insists that constitutional provisions clearly make them liable for disqualification.
On the other hand, the rebel MPs have attempted to justify their move by pointing to the constitutional clause that allows a merger if two-thirds of a party’s members agree. With AAP having 10 MPs in the Rajya Sabha, the group claims their numbers meet the required threshold. The final decision now rests with the Chairman, and the outcome will not only determine the political future of these MPs but also set a precedent for how anti-defection laws are interpreted in high-stakes political realignments.
