Big setback ahead of Punjab elections; 3 AAP rebel MLAs join BJP
NEW DELHI: 3 aap MLAs including two MLAs from Punjab, Harmeet Singh Pathanmajra and Chetan Singh Jouramajra, Kunwar Vijay pratap sing Suspended AAP MLA Kunwar Vijay Pratap resigns as member of Punjab assembly and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday, days after resigning from the Arvind Kejriwal-led party.The two leaders were seen raising slogans of ‘BJP zindabad’ at the BJP headquarters in Delhi, according to a video shared by news agency ANI.The development comes a day after Pathanmajra, who represents the Sanour constituency, and Jouramajra, the MLA from Samana in Punjab’s Patiala district, resigned from the primary membership of the AAP. Both leaders had accused the Bhagwant Mann-led government of failing to address issues such as the drug menace, rising state debt and governance-related concerns.Their exits came shortly after the AAP released its first list of 40 candidates for the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections. Neither Sanour nor Samana figured in the list.AAP had said it would approach the Punjab Assembly Speaker seeking cancellation of the legislative membership of both MLAs, alleging that they had engaged in anti-party activities. The party had suspended both leaders before they announced their resignations.
Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh resigns as Punjab MLA
The political developments also saw suspended AAP MLA and former IPS officer Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh resign from the Punjab Assembly. Singh, who represents Amritsar North, submitted his resignation to assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan.In a Facebook post, Singh announced his decision, stating, “I have resigned from the membership of Punjab Vidhan Sabha.”In his resignation letter to the Speaker, he wrote, “I hereby tender my resignation of my seat in the House with effect from 1.11.2026.”Singh was suspended from the AAP for five years in June 2025 over alleged anti-party activities. His suspension followed his criticism of the Punjab Vigilance Bureau’s action against Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia.A former member of the Punjab Police special investigation team (SIT) that probed the 2015 Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan police-firing incidents, Singh had repeatedly questioned the Mann government’s handling of the sacrilege cases.
AAP targets BJP over induction of rebel leaders
The BJP’s induction of the rebel AAP leaders has drawn criticism from the ruling party in Punjab. Punjab AAP president Aman Arora accused the BJP of attempting to induct leaders who had left or been expelled from other parties.AAP chief spokesperson Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal had also described the BJP as a ‘kabaad di dukaan’ (scrap shop), accusing it of collecting rejected political faces.Before announcing his resignation, Pathanmajra had said that the two leaders would join a party that worked in the interest of Punjab.Jouramajra, a former Punjab minister, served in the Bhagwant Mann cabinet from January 2023 to September 2024 before being dropped during a cabinet reshuffle.
