AAP Punjab rebellion was inevitable, more defections coming: Udit Raj
Synopsis
Three AAP MLAs in Punjab have resigned in two days — and Congress leader Udit Raj says this is just the beginning. He claims up to 40-45 legislators were already primed to leave, alleges Delhi's AAP leadership is running Punjab remotely, and warns of a deepening rebellion inside the party that swept the state in 2022.
Key Takeaways
Amritsar North MLA Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh resigned from AAP on 2 November 2026 , the third MLA to quit in two days.
Singh had been suspended by AAP for five years in June 2025 over alleged anti-party activities related to the Bikram Singh Majithia arrest case.
Congress leader Udit Raj claimed 40 to 45 MLAs were already prepared to leave AAP when MPs staged an earlier walkout.
Udit Raj alleged that Punjab is being governed by Manish Sisodia , Arvind Kejriwal and Delhi associates, not by CM Bhagwant Mann — an unverified claim.
Udit Raj also targeted BJP over rising Delhi AQI levels, citing the party's current control over all levers of Delhi's administration.
Congress leader Udit Raj on Monday, 2 November 2026, reacted sharply to a fresh wave of resignations by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislators in Punjab, asserting that an internal rebellion within the party was inevitable and warning that further defections were imminent. His remarks followed a significant political development in the ruling party's Punjab unit.
The Resignations That Triggered the Reaction
Amritsar North MLA Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh, a former IPS officer, submitted his resignation to the Punjab Assembly Speaker on Monday, becoming the third AAP legislator to quit within two days. Two other party MLAs had already tendered their resignations a day earlier.
Singh had been suspended by the AAP for five years in June 2025 over alleged anti-party activities. His suspension reportedly stemmed from his opposition to the arrest of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Bikram Singh Majithia in a disproportionate assets case.
What Udit Raj Said
Reacting to the developments, Udit Raj said, 'There could be some other reason behind this as well. What were they doing in the Aam Aadmi Party for so long? A rebellion within the party was bound to happen, and now it has begun.'
He further alleged that the groundswell of discontent predated these resignations. 'When all the MPs had staged a walkout, around 40 to 45 MLAs were also ready to leave the party. Everyone knows how their government is functioning now,' he said.
Attack on the Punjab Government
Udit Raj launched a pointed attack on Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, alleging that the Punjab state administration was not being run from Chandigarh but by AAP's Delhi leadership. 'Bhagwant Mann has nothing to do with running the government. The government is being run by Manish Sisodia, Arvind Kejriwal and their associates. Where are the people of Punjab running their own government? There will be more defections in the party in the coming days,' he said.
These are unverified political allegations by an opposition leader and have not been independently confirmed.
Delhi Pollution Enters the Debate
Udit Raj also pivoted to the rising air quality index (AQI) levels in New Delhi, targeting the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He pointed out that the BJP now controls the Prime Minister's office, the Lieutenant Governor, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), and top bureaucracy, yet pollution had worsened even before winter set in. He cited Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's recent remarks, claiming pollution could be brought under control 'within 24, 48 or 72 hours' if the Congress were in power — a claim that critics have noted is difficult to substantiate.
What This Signals for AAP in Punjab
This is not the first time dissidence has surfaced within AAP's Punjab unit. The party swept the state in the 2022 Punjab Assembly elections with a historic majority, but internal discontent has reportedly simmered over governance styles and the perceived outsized influence of the Delhi leadership. Analysts note that a string of high-profile suspensions and walkouts — including the earlier MP exodus — point to structural fault lines rather than isolated grievances. Whether the current wave of exits translates into a broader political realignment in Punjab will depend on how many more legislators follow.
Point of View
But they land in a context that gives them some traction: three AAP MLAs have quit in 48 hours, and the party's Punjab unit has faced repeated suspensions and internal complaints since 2022. The more pointed allegation — that Punjab's elected government is being run by Kejriwal and Sisodia from Delhi — is politically explosive but unverified, and AAP has not responded on the record. What mainstream coverage often misses is that AAP's centralised command structure, a feature in opposition, can become a liability in government: it creates a single accountability chokepoint that frustrated legislators have no internal route to challenge. The Delhi pollution detour in Udit Raj's remarks is telling too — it signals Congress is trying to simultaneously exploit AAP's Punjab troubles and reclaim the Delhi anti-pollution narrative it lost in 2022.
NationPress
2 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Which AAP MLAs resigned in Punjab in November 2026?
Amritsar North MLA Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh resigned on 2 November 2026, becoming the third AAP legislator to quit within two days, following the resignations of two other party MLAs a day earlier.
Why was Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh suspended by AAP?
Singh was suspended by the Aam Aadmi Party for five years in June 2025 over alleged anti-party activities. His suspension reportedly followed his opposition to the arrest of Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia in a disproportionate assets case.
What did Congress leader Udit Raj claim about AAP's Punjab government?
Udit Raj alleged that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann was not running Punjab's government, and that it was instead being controlled by AAP's Delhi leadership — specifically Manish Sisodia and Arvind Kejriwal. These are unverified political allegations.
How many AAP MLAs did Udit Raj say were ready to leave the party?
Udit Raj claimed that around 40 to 45 AAP MLAs were prepared to leave the party at the time its MPs staged an earlier walkout, suggesting the current wave of resignations is part of a broader and longer-running discontent.
What did Udit Raj say about Delhi's rising pollution levels?
Udit Raj targeted the BJP over Delhi's high AQI levels, noting the party now controls all arms of the capital's administration. He cited Rahul Gandhi's claim that pollution could be controlled within 24 to 72 hours if Congress were in power — a claim critics have called difficult to substantiate.
