BJP's Ashwani Sharma: Bhagwant Mann is a 'traitor' by AAP's own logic
Synopsis
BJP's Punjab working chief Ashwani Sharma has turned AAP's own 'traitor' rhetoric against Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, pointing out that Mann himself switched parties — and that several of his Cabinet ministers did too. The attack comes as AAP maintains silence on Raghav Chadha's corruption allegations.
Key Takeaways
BJP Punjab working state President Ashwani Sharma on 28 April 2025 said CM Bhagwant Mann is himself a 'traitor' by AAP's own definition of party-switching.
Ashwani Sharma accused AAP of staying silent on allegations by Raghav Chadha and other leaders about corruption and compromised principles.
He named 7 Cabinet ministers — including Gurmeet Singh Khuddian , Aman Arora , and Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal — who joined AAP from other parties and would fall under the same 'traitor' label.
Former AAP founders Yogendra Yadav , Prashant Bhushan , Kumar Vishwas , and Alka Lamba had previously raised similar concerns about Arvind Kejriwal's leadership.
BJP demanded that AAP and CM Mann publicly respond to the allegations before the people of Punjab .
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Punjab working state President Ashwani Sharma on Tuesday, 28 April launched a sharp attack on Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), asserting that Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann himself qualifies as a
Point of View
Sharma has forced AAP onto the defensive without needing to prove any specific wrongdoing. What is more telling, however, is the silence from Chandigarh on Raghav Chadha's allegations — a pattern that mirrors how earlier AAP internal critics like Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan were handled. Punjab voters, who handed AAP a historic mandate in 2022, deserve a substantive response rather than deflection through counter-labelling.
NationPress
1 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did BJP's Ashwani Sharma call Bhagwant Mann a 'traitor'?
Sharma argued that if switching parties constitutes betrayal — as AAP has claimed about its Rajya Sabha MPs — then CM Bhagwant Mann himself is a traitor, having switched parties before joining AAP. He extended the same logic to several of Mann's Cabinet ministers who also came from other parties.
What allegations has Raghav Chadha made against AAP?
According to BJP's Ashwani Sharma, Raghav Chadha and other AAP leaders have accused the party of compromising its founding principles and being corrupt. CM Bhagwant Mann has reportedly not responded to these allegations publicly.
Which AAP Cabinet ministers did BJP name as party-switchers?
Sharma named Gurmeet Singh Khuddian, Aman Arora, Barinder Kumar Goyal, Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, Tarunpreet Singh Sondh, Hardeep Singh Mundian, and Lal Chand Kataruchak as Cabinet members who joined AAP from other parties.
Which former AAP leaders had previously raised concerns about the party?
AAP founders and senior leaders including Yogendra Yadav, Prashant Bhushan, Kumar Vishwas, and Alka Lamba had previously raised serious questions about Arvind Kejriwal's leadership, party policies, and credibility before leaving the organisation.
Who are the Rajya Sabha MPs AAP labelled as 'traitors'?
BJP's Sharma cited Rajinder Gupta, Ashok Kumar Mittal, Harbhajan Singh, and Vikramjit Singh Sahney as the Rajya Sabha MPs being labelled traitors by AAP. He described them as individuals known for contributions in industry, education, sports, and social service respectively.
