Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann plans to discuss the issue of “illegal” defection by seven Rajya Sabha MPs, including six from Punjab, with President Droupadi Murmu. He emphasized that such actions betray the people’s mandate. The Chief Minister confirmed the meeting with the President scheduled for May 5 to address the defection matter.
Seven Rajya Sabha MPs, namely Raghav Chadha, Ashok Mittal, Sandeep Pathak, Harbhajan Singh, Vikram Sahney, Swati Maliwal, and Rajinder Gupta, switched from the Aam Aadmi Party to the Bharatiya Janata Party by April 2026. This move significantly reduced AAP’s strength in the Upper House from 10 to 3 members. Chief Minister Mann criticized these MPs, labeling them as traitors of Punjab and Punjabis.
Chief Minister Mann condemned the defection, stating that justifying such actions as normal or traditional undermines the people’s will. He stressed that such behavior is intolerable, hinting that those supporting it might switch their loyalties. Mann reiterated the Punjab government’s stability, asserting that there is no need for a floor test as the government enjoys strong support both inside and outside the Vidhan Sabha.
Critics questioning the necessity of the Vidhan Sabha session were challenged by Chief Minister Mann to first account for the promises fulfilled by the Narendra Modi government before scrutinizing the Punjab government’s actions.
