Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday, 5 May met President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi, submitting a signed memorandum demanding the cancellation of membership of six Rajya Sabha MPs from Punjab who switched from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Mann, who arrived in Delhi accompanied by Punjab MLAs, termed the defecting members "not elected but selected" and called their move a blatant distortion of the democratic mandate.

Key Demands Placed Before the President

The signed memorandum submitted at Rashtrapati Bhavan called for the formal cancellation of membership of the six AAP Rajya Sabha MPs from Punjab who defected to the BJP. Mann argued that the switch was unconstitutional, stating that for a defection to be legally valid, the entire party would have had to pass a resolution — a condition he said was not met. He further demanded a constitutional amendment to introduce a recall provision for elected representatives, noting that Raghav Chadha had previously championed such a reform. "An amendment should be made in the Constitution for making provision of recall, as Raghav Chadha had been demanding, so that these MPs can be punished for treachery," Mann said.

What the Chief Minister Said

Addressing the media after the meeting, Mann described the defections as a "murder of democracy." He said: "Seven members of the Rajya Sabha have defected. It is unconstitutional as either the entire party should have passed a resolution, but these seven MPs switched their loyalty unconstitutionally, thereby making a mockery of democracy."

He also pointed to what he called a constitutional anomaly: "The BJP has two MLAs in the state Assembly but seven Rajya Sabha members — a joke with the Constitution of the country." Mann challenged the defecting MPs to resign their seats and seek a fresh mandate from voters, arguing they were obligated to do so before joining a party they had previously condemned.

Accusations Against BJP and the Defectors

Mann accused the BJP of orchestrating what he called an "Operation Lotus" strategy — a term used to describe alleged efforts by the party to poach elected representatives from rival formations. He warned that central agencies and political power would not shield wrongdoing in Punjab. "The shield of the BJP can save them from the law in other states, but not in Punjab," he said.

He also singled out Ashok Mittal, one of the defectors, noting an apparent contradiction: Mittal's premises were reportedly raided by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) shortly before he was provided Z-plus security by the BJP government. Mann called this "ironic" and said it illustrated how central agencies were being misused. He further took aim at Raghav Chadha, who had previously described the BJP as a "washing machine without detergent where the sins of political leaders are washed," and who has now reportedly joined the saffron party. "Raghav Chadha has put his foot in his mouth by joining the saffron party. He should have resigned before joining the BJP," Mann said.

Warning to Defectors and the Road Ahead

Mann was unequivocal that the defecting MPs would face political consequences in Punjab. "These leaders are now baffled, due to which they are making illogical statements," he said, adding that the people of Punjab do not tolerate backstabbing and would deliver their verdict in due course. He also warned that past misdeeds would not go unpunished: "Joining the BJP doesn't mean that these leaders can't be booked for their misdeeds. Even if more reports come regarding their sins, they will definitely be booked in the future too."

With the AAP government in Punjab pushing for constitutional reform and the BJP's Rajya Sabha tally in the state swelling despite its minimal Assembly presence, the defection row is set to intensify ahead of future electoral cycles.