Bhagwant Mann meets President over RS MPs switching to BJP; seeks Right to Recall

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday met President Droupadi Murmu in New Delhi to protest against the recent crossover of six Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MPs to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Accompanied by 90 AAP MLAs, Mann termed the move a “mockery of the Constitution” and a murder of democracy. He formally requested the President to consider a constitutional amendment to introduce the ‘Right to Recall,’ arguing that representatives who betray the public mandate should be held accountable.

The Chief Minister highlighted the political irony in the state, noting that while the BJP has only two MLAs in the Punjab Assembly, its strength in the Rajya Sabha from the state has surged to six. Mann asserted that these “selected” individuals had betrayed the trust of the “elected” representatives who sent them to the Upper House. He dismissed claims of political vendetta, stating that joining the BJP does not provide a “security shield” against legal actions for any past wrongdoings.

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Chief Minister of Punjab Shri Bhagwant Mann called on President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan. pic.twitter.com/uuoUmH9odU

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— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) May 5, 2026

Earlier, the breakaway group, including MPs Raghav Chadha, Sandeep Pathak, and Ashok Mittal, also met the President to complain about alleged harassment by the Punjab government. Chadha accused the AAP leadership of using state machinery and the police to target them out of spite. He claimed that the Punjab government was burning in the “fire of revenge,” targeting family members and businesses of those who left the party. He specifically mentioned actions taken against cricketer Harbhajan Singh and industrialist Rajinder Gupta as examples of political pressure.

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In a sharp exchange, Chadha cautioned the AAP government against playing a “dangerous game,” pointing out that while AAP controls the police in one state, the BJP governs 21 states. Responding to this, CM Mann questioned if Chadha was issuing a threat to the state. Mann maintained that all actions taken by the Punjab administration were within the legal framework and that “traitors of the mandate” would not be spared. He also pointed out the timing of the crossovers, alleging that leaders like Ashok Mittal were granted ‘Y’ category security shortly after facing federal agency raids.

The political standoff has intensified as both sides take their grievances to the highest constitutional office. While the rebel MPs claimed the AAP government in Punjab is a “guest for only a few months,” CM Mann reiterated that the people of Punjab would never tolerate such “betrayal” and that his government remains committed to its mandate despite the desertions.