AAP submits petition to Rajya Sabha Chairman to disqualify seven MPs after defection and merger with BJP
The political crisis within AAP worsened after seven Rajya Sabha MPs announced on Friday that they were leaving the party, sparking a major legal and political dispute over whether their move is valid under anti-defection rules.
PTC News Desk: Senior Aam Aadmi Party leader and MP Sanjay Singh submitted a petition to Rajya Sabha Chairman C.P. Radhakrishnan seeking the disqualification of seven party MPs in the Upper House who recently quit the AAP and announced their merger with the BJP.
He said the Aam Aadmi Party had consulted constitutional experts, including senior advocate Kapil Sibal and former Lok Sabha Secretary-General PDT Achary, who believed the MPs could be disqualified under the law.
The political crisis within AAP worsened after seven Rajya Sabha MPs announced on Friday that they were leaving the party, sparking a major legal and political dispute over whether their move is valid under anti-defection rules.
The MPs involved include Raghav Chadha, Sandeep Pathak, Ashok Mittal, Harbhajan Singh, Rajinder Gupta, Swati Maliwal and Vikramjit Sahney.
Chadha said the exits were due to “disappointment, disengagement and frustration” within the party. Sahney pointed to governance issues in Punjab, such as rising debt, problems in farming, drug abuse, and limited access to party leadership.
Sources within the party said the leadership was aware that some MPs might leave and had tried at the last moment to stop a few of them, amid claims of political pressure and internal dissatisfaction.
Earlier, Bhagwant Mann had reportedly sought time with President Droupadi Murmu along with party MLAs to demand a “recall” of the MPs. However, the Constitution does not have any provision to recall Members of Parliament or state legislators.