Jalandhar: Baba Balbir Singh Seechewal, the lone Rajya Sabha MP of the Aam Aadmi Party, was inducted after the party faced sharp criticism over its choice of nominees in March 2022. He finally accepted the Rajya Sabha berth in July 2022—only after repeated persuasion by Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann and on the condition that he would stay away from active party politics.
Speaking to TOI, Seechewal said Mann personally offered him the RS seat. "Thrice I politely declined and urged him to send someone else. But he insisted, and I finally accepted with the condition that I would not participate in political work or party rallies. He agreed," Seechewal said.
He added that he has remained away from AAP's routine political activities and has focused instead on environmental causes. On Saturday, he attended a meeting chaired by the chief minister with senior officials to review the cleaning of Buddha Darya and Chitti Bein.
Reacting to the resignation of seven AAP MPs from the Rajya Sabha, Seechewal said the spirit in which they were sent to the Upper House had been betrayed.
