AAP Seeks Disqualification Of 7 MPs
The Aam Aadmi Party has submitted a petition to Rajya Sabha Chairman C P Radhakrishnan seeking the disqualification of seven MPs who quit the party and announced their merger with the BJP.
AAP Moves Rajya Sabha Chairman
AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh submitted the petition and said the party wanted action under the anti-defection law. He argued that the MPs were elected to the Upper House on AAP tickets and could not leave the party while continuing to retain their parliamentary membership.
The petition has turned the political split into a constitutional battle, with AAP demanding that the Rajya Sabha Secretariat examine the matter urgently.
Seven AAP MPs Join BJP
The seven MPs named in reports are Raghav Chadha, Ashok Mittal, Sandeep Pathak, Harbhajan Singh, Rajendra Gupta, Vikram Sahni and Swati Maliwal. They quit AAP and announced their merger with the BJP, accusing the Arvind Kejriwal-led party of moving away from its original principles.
AAP has rejected that argument and described the move as a betrayal of the mandate given to the party in Punjab and Delhi.
Anti-Defection Law In Focus
Sanjay Singh said AAP would pursue legal remedies if required. He also cited constitutional provisions and anti-defection rules to argue that the MPs’ membership should be terminated.
The development has intensified the political confrontation between AAP and BJP. While AAP has accused the BJP of engineering defections, the BJP has projected the shift as a sign of disillusionment within AAP’s leadership.
