Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], November 2 (ANI): Punjab’s political arena erupted into a fierce war of words on Monday as three rebel Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislators officially switched allegiance to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), just days after AAP released its first list of 40 candidates for the upcoming 2027 Punjab Assembly elections.
The high-profile jump sent immediate shockwaves through the state’s political establishment, sparking a colourful and scathing exchange of barbs between the ruling party, the BJP, and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) as rival camps fought to control the narrative.
Lashing out at the defection, the Aam Aadmi Party dismissed the departing legislators as political opportunists, branding the BJP as a party that is merely “collecting trash” discarded by others.
Unfazed by the criticism, the BJP welcomed the leaders into its fold, arguing that its political momentum is unstoppable. Party leaders claimed their “caravan is growing” as disillusioned heavyweights abandon what they termed AAP’s “sinking ship.”
Meanwhile, the Shiromani Akali Dal weighed in on the turmoil, with senior leaders declaring with biting sarcasm that given the internal exodus, “no one will remain in Jhaadu” (referring to AAP’s broom election symbol) by the time voters head to the polls.
Three prominent Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders, MLAs Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh (Amritsar East/North), Harmeet Singh Pathanmajra (Sanour), and former Health Minister Chetan Singh Jouramajra (Samana), officially joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in New Delhi.
On Monday, the Speaker of the Punjab Legislative Assembly accepted the resignations of Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh and Harmeet Singh Pathanmajra, declaring their Assembly seats vacant. AAP had previously suspended Pathanmajra and Jouramajra for anti-party activities and Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh on June 29, 2025.
Addressing a press conference in New Delhi following his induction into the party, Pathanmajra stated AAP initially offered a compelling vision, but over time pushed Punjab into a “quagmire” of debt, drugs, and gangsterism. Asserted that Punjab cannot survive without Central support and claimed the BJP would form the next government under Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s guidance.
“When the Aam Aadmi Party first arrived in Punjab, they presented a very compelling vision. It was precisely because of those ideas that the Aam Aadmi Party was able to form a government within such a vast political system. However, over time, those who spoke up, those who championed the cause of Punjab, began to have their wings clipped,” Pathanmajra said.
However, Pathanmajra alleged that the internal atmosphere within AAP deteriorated over time, adding that the party have pushed Punjab into a quagmire.
He said, “Today, Punjab is often referred to as ‘Udta Punjab’, but we all aspire to transform it into a ‘Ubharta Punjab’. AAP have pushed Punjab into a quagmire. The Aam Aadmi Party has taken on more debt than any other government, leaving Punjab in a dire state.”
Pathanmajra also said the BJP would form the government in the upcoming elections.
“People truly desire this. Once a few key issues are resolved, everyone will be ready to align themselves with the BJP,” he said.
Urging others to join the party, he said the BJP was “the only party capable of resolving the issues facing Punjab,” including debt, drugs and gangsterism. He pointed to Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s promise to eradicate the drug problem, saying, “He ensures that everything he promises is actually carried out.”
“Given the massive debt accumulated by other parties, Punjab cannot survive without support from the Centre. Everyone will eventually come to BJP,” Pathanmajra said.
Meanwhile, Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh declared AAP in Punjab completely finished due to Arvind Kejriwal and Bhagwant Mann. Cited his past tenure as Amritsar SP, claiming he eradicated crime and drugs, but the situation deteriorated after his departure.
“In Punjab, the Aam Aadmi Party is finished—Arvind Kejriwal and Bhagwant Mann have brought about its collapse themselves. For all practical purposes, AAP no longer exists,” Singh told ANI, expressing confidence that a “double-engine government” will soon be formed in Punjab.
Singh, a former police officer, spoke about Punjab’s crime rate and drug menace, which have emerged as key campaign issues. He reflected on his background in law enforcement.
“As for the crime rate, I served as an SP in Amritsar; back in 2007, 2008, and 2009, we completely eradicated both the drug menace and crime. However, after I left, the situation was never brought under control again,” he said.
Singh had announced his resignation from the Assembly in a message to the people of Amritsar, saying his sole purpose was “Punjab First.”
Meanwhile, Chetan Singh Jouramajra said some MLAs who have already received tickets from AAP might relinquish them and join the BJP, attacking the ruling AAP government in Punjab over law and order.
“As for the MLAs who have already received tickets, we expect that some of them might actually relinquish those tickets and join the BJP. The situation in Punjab is far from good; the people there are deeply distressed. Issues like drug abuse, the rise of gangs, and frequent incidents of snatching. Therefore, if we want to put an end to all these problems in Punjab, it is essential that a BJP government comes to power in the state,” he told ANI after joining.
Following the induction, Punjab BJP President Kewal Singh Dhillon welcomed the leaders into the party fold.
“The Bharatiya Janata Party’s growing strength is evident with each passing day. I am delighted to welcome our brothers Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh, retired IG and MLA from Amritsar East (North); Sardar Chetan Singh Jouramajra, MLA from Samana and former Health Minister; and Harmeet Singh Pathanmajra, MLA from Sanour, into the BJP. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to them for joining the party. I assure them that the vision and objectives behind their decision to join will be fully respected, and they will be accorded the honour and dignity they deserve. Experienced leaders and MLAs are leaving the sinking ship of the Aam Aadmi Party and choosing to join us. We warmly welcome them,” Dhillon said.
Reacting to the development, the Aam Aadmi Party downplayed the exit and hit out at the BJP.
AAP Delhi president Saurabh Bharadwaj took a swipe at the BJP, stating that it has a habit of collecting “trash.”
Speaking to ANI, Bharadwaj also claimed that AAP had already stated that the BJP did not have even 117 candidates to field in the elections, calling it a party of “hollow structure”.
“We had already stated that the Bharatiya Janata Party doesn’t even have 117 candidates to field for the elections; the entire party is just a hollow construct. Naturally, we will not grant tickets to those whose candidacies we decide to drop—those who have received negative feedback. The BJP has always had a habit of collecting ‘trash’—so, let them give tickets to these people. We have no issue with that; what is certain is that we will not be giving them tickets,” Bharadwaj said.
Hitting out at the BJP, Punjab Cabinet Minister and AAP State President Aman Arora said, “The Punjab BJP has neither any leadership nor any base, which is why it is including leaders with serious allegations from other parties into its fold. But the people of Punjab all know this, and the BJP’s Mungerilal-like dream will never come true.”
AAP Punjab General Secretary and Media Incharge Baltej Pannu also slammed BJP, stating, “BJP folks are very happy about the AAP disqualifying MLAs due to serious charges, but the party doesn’t make any difference from these people leaving.”
Additionally, senior leader and spokesperson, AAP Punjab, Neel Garg said, “The departure of sidelined people from the party will make no difference to AAP! The biggest strength of the Aam Aadmi Party is the trust of Punjab’s people. The Mann government will be formed again based on the work done in sectors like education, health, electricity, employment. BJP should clarify its stand on Kunwar Vijay Pratap and Raghav Chadha before Punjab.”
Punjab Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal also expressed disapproval over three AAP MLAs leaving the party and joining the BJP, saying that any differences should have been resolved through discussions.
“The people who have left should not have left. If there was any issue, they should have sat down and talked. They shouldn’t have done that,” Goyal said.
Meanwhile, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Daljit Singh Cheema criticised the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) after three rebel party leaders joined the BJP, saying that no MLA wants to remain with the ruling party anymore.
Cheema alleged that AAP leaders would find it difficult to face people in villages and answer questions about their silence over the alleged looting of Punjab.
“No MLA wants to remain with the Aam Aadmi Party anymore. Everyone knows what is going to happen… Who will go from village to village and answer people about why they remained silent while Punjab was being looted? Just wait until the Model Code of Conduct comes into force,” Cheema said.
He further claimed that AAP would lose the support of elected representatives at the grassroots level, including sarpanches, Zila Parishad members and Block Samiti members, once the Model Code of Conduct comes into force.
“You will not see a single sarpanch, Zila Parishad member or Block Samiti member standing with them… just as MLAs were waiting for four-and-a-half years to pass so they would not be disqualified… Apart from blackmail, lies and misinformation, they have done no work in Punjab,” he added.
SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal said that “no one will remain in ‘Jhaadu’,” following the exit of rebel party leaders.
Addressing a press conference in Chandigarh, Badal claimed that Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann would face defeat in the 2027 Assembly elections, alleging widespread resentment against the ruling party among the public as well as its own legislators.
“No one will remain in ‘Jhaadu’. Their own MLAs are unhappy. I can say Bhagwant Mann will lose (in the 2027 elections). The public hates them because they have looted a lot,” Badal said.
In a significant political development, the SAD chief also announced that the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Qadian faction) had pledged its support to the party for the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections.
“Harmeet Singh Qadian of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Qadian) has huge influence in Punjab. His leadership and district presidents have come. They have decided that they will support Shiromani Akali Dal in the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections,” Badal said.
Congress leaders also criticised the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) amid a political shake-up in Punjab.
Congress Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa alleged that the move was a “well-calculated conspiracy.”
“This is a well-calculated conspiracy. I said a year ago, 32 MLAs were in touch with me as well, but their demands were quite straightforward… ‘give us ‘Vitamin M’ (money) and secure our assembly seats’… The BJP faces a shortage of candidates in the rural areas of Punjab and was the only party that could fulfill both their demands—providing the assembly seats and supplying the ‘Vitamin M’,” Bajwa told reporters.
Congress MP Manish Tewari called for strengthening the anti-defection law, saying that the politics of ‘Aaya Ram, Gaya Ram’ causes significant damage to the country’s political system, amid reports of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Speaking to ANI, Tewari said that while joining another political party after resigning was an individual’s personal choice, elected representatives must remember the mandate they received from voters on a particular party’s ticket.
“The politics of ‘Aaya Ram, Gaya Ram’ causes significant damage to the country’s political system. The anti-defection law needs to be strengthened considerably,” Tewari said.
Congress MP further said that elected representatives should remain mindful of the mandate given to them by voters before completing their terms.
“If someone resigns and joins another party, that is their responsibility and may be their personal choice. However, before completing their term, they must remember that people elected them to the Assembly on the ticket of a particular party. In my view, this politics of ‘Aaya Ram, Gaya Ram’ is entirely inappropriate,” he added.
Punjab Congress Working President Raj Kumar Verka claimed that the AAP was witnessing an exodus of leaders and said the party’s situation in Punjab could deteriorate further.
“I feel the Aam Aadmi Party’s ship is sinking, and people are jumping off and running away. Looking at the party’s current situation, things are going to get worse because the people of Punjab want to show them a mirror. They want to ask how the AAP government looted Punjab, pushed the state towards gangsterism and drove its people into drug addiction,” Verka told ANI.
Verka further claimed that the Congress had received indications that several AAP leaders were considering leaving the party.
“We have received a list of 35 to 40 people who are likely to leave AAP. Many others are also contacting the Congress and expressing their desire to join us. But we already have candidates who can win elections, and we will not simply collect political rejects,” he said.
This comes amid preparations for the 2027 Assembly Elections as AAP on Saturday announced its first list of 40 candidates, naming Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann from Dhuri, Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan from Kotkapura and Minister Sanjeev Arora, who is currently in jail, from Ludhiana West.
The list also includes several other ministers, including Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal from Ajnala, Balkar Singh from Kartarpur, Jai Krishan Singh Rouri from Garhshankar, Kulwant Singh from S A S Nagar, and Labh Singh Ugoke from Bhadaur. (ANI)
Related reading
