Rajya Sabha member Raghav Chadha on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on his former party, the Aam Aadmi Party, alleging misuse of Punjab's state machinery to target MPs who recently defected to the Bharatiya Janata Party. Chadha, who was part of a delegation that met President Droupadi Murmu, accused the AAP-led Punjab government of engaging in vendetta politics against dissenting leaders.
Chadha's Allegations
After merging with the Bharatiya Janata Party leaving the Aam Aadmi Party, the Punjab government and the Aam Aadmi Party, driven by a spirit of revenge and retaliation, have allegedly engaged in vendetta politics, Chadha said. They have used the state machinery of Punjab to target those MPs who, exercising their constitutional rights, expressed dissent and chose to leave the Aam Aadmi Party. We presented all these developments before the honourable President of India today and conveyed our concerns directly, he added.
Chadha further alleged selective targeting through multiple agencies. I would just like to say this... those who themselves go to Rajghat and invoke satyagraha at Mahatma Gandhi's memorial are today using the machinery of Punjab to selectively target us through vigilance inquiries, the Delhi Police, and even the Pollution Board. It is important for the public to know this, and especially for the people of Punjab to be made aware of all these developments, he stated.
Delegation Seeks Constitutional Safeguards
Another Rajya Sabha member and AAP rebel, Sandeep Pathak, said the delegation had sought constitutional safeguards during the meeting with the President. We informed the President of the current situation, and she assured us protection under the Constitution, Pathak said. The delegation's meeting with the President underscores the escalating political tensions in Punjab following the defection of seven Rajya Sabha MPs to the BJP.
Political Face-Off Looms
Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, along with AAP MLAs, was en route to Delhi to meet the President regarding the recent defection of seven Rajya Sabha MPs to the BJP. This sets the stage for a political face-off between the two sides. The AAP leadership has denied Chadha's allegations, accusing him of making baseless claims to divert attention from the defections.
The developments highlight the deepening rift within the AAP and the party's efforts to retain its base in Punjab. Chadha, a prominent face of the AAP before his defection, has become a vocal critic of the party's governance in the state. The issue is expected to dominate the political discourse in the coming days, with both sides preparing to present their cases before the public and constitutional authorities.
