Raghav Chadha, Rebel MPs Meet President Murmu Amid AAP Vendetta Claims

On May 5, 2026, a significant political development unfolded in India as Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha, alongside fellow MPs Sandeep Pathak and Ashok Mittal, met with President Droupadi Murmu. The meeting, which took place around 10:40 AM, was to highlight their concerns regarding alleged 'vendetta politics' by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led Punjab government. Chadha specifically claimed that sources indicated he would be the "next target" of such actions. The delegation of former AAP MPs, who recently switched allegiance to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accused the Punjab government of misusing state machinery to target them for their defection. This move by the MPs follows their merger with the BJP in the Upper House on April 24, 2026. Seven Rajya Sabha MPs, namely Raghav Chadha, Sandeep Pathak, Ashok Mittal, Harbhajan Singh, Rajinder Gupta, Vikramjit Sahney, and Swati Maliwal, had collectively quit the AAP and merged their parliamentary party with the BJP, arguing that this falls under the two-thirds exception of the anti-defection law, allowing them to retain their Rajya Sabha membership. Their allegations of 'political vendetta' are rooted in recent actions taken by the Punjab government. For instance, two First Information Reports (FIRs) were reportedly filed against MP Sandeep Pathak under non-bailable sections, and the Punjab Pollution Control Board conducted a raid on Trident Limited, a firm associated with MP Rajinder Gupta, who is its founder and chairman emeritus. Furthermore, the security cover of MP and former cricketer Harbhajan Singh was also withdrawn following his defection. Adding another layer to this political drama, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann was also scheduled to meet President Murmu on the same day, May 5, 2026, at 12:00 PM. Mann's objective was to formally request the 'recall' of the six or seven Rajya Sabha MPs who defected from the AAP to the BJP. While Mann had initially sought a collective audience with all AAP MLAs from Punjab, the President's office granted a meeting only to him. Consequently, Mann announced that his party's MLAs would accompany him to Rashtrapati Bhavan but would wait outside while he presented the 'concerns' of the people of Punjab to the President. This series of events underscores a deepening political tension between the Aam Aadmi Party and its former members. The AAP has publicly stated its intention to seek the disqualification of these MPs from the Rajya Sabha, with senior leader Sanjay Singh asserting that the anti-defection law does not legally recognize any split or faction, even if it constitutes a two-thirds majority. Conversely, the defecting MPs, led by Chadha, have maintained that their departure was not out of fear but due to a profound sense of "disappointment, disengagement, and disgust" with the AAP's current leadership and its perceived deviation from core principles. The legal interpretation of the anti-defection law concerning the 'merger' of a parliamentary party with another remains a crucial aspect of this ongoing dispute. While the defectors believe their actions are legally sound, the AAP contends otherwise, pushing for their disqualification. The President's meetings with both factions highlight the constitutional and political implications of these defections and the subsequent allegations. The outcome of these appeals to the President and the legal challenges that may follow will undoubtedly shape the political landscape of Punjab and potentially set precedents for party defections in the future.

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