Punjab
AAP jolted ahead of Punjab polls! Three rebel leaders, including two MLAs, join BJP
Chandigarh/IBNS: In a further setback to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections, three of its rebel leaders, including two sitting MLAs, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday, media reports said.
Suspended AAP MLA and former IPS officer Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh joined the BJP hours after resigning from the Punjab Legislative Assembly on Monday morning.
The other two legislators who switched camps are Harmeet Singh Pathanmajra and Chetan Singh Jouramajra.
Both resigned from the AAP's primary membership on November 1 before joining the BJP a day later.
Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh targets Bhagwant Mann government
After joining the BJP, Vijay Pratap Singh launched a sharp attack on the Bhagwant Mann-led government in Punjab, alleging a close association between gangsters and the state government.
"Punjab is fighting for its identity. There is no Punjabiyat left in Punjab. Gangsters are becoming part of Punjab government," he said, as quoted by India Today.
AAP MLAs from Punjab, Shri Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh, Shri Harmeet Singh Pathanmajra and Shri Chetan Singh Jauramajra #JoinBJP at the party headquarters in New Delhi. https://t.co/zmZLRDwLsO
— BJP (@BJP4India) November 2, 2026
Why was Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh suspended from AAP?
Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh, who represented the Amritsar North constituency, was suspended from the AAP for five years in June 2025 over alleged anti-party activities.
The action followed his public criticism of the Punjab government's handling of the arrest of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Bikram Singh Majithia in a disproportionate assets case.
Singh had questioned the Punjab Vigilance Bureau's conduct during a raid at Majithia's residence in Amritsar on June 25, 2025.
He raised concerns over the dignity and privacy of Majithia's family, questioning the manner in which the early-morning operation was conducted.
The AAP's Political Affairs Committee subsequently suspended him for five years, accusing him of anti-party activities.
AAP faces political challenge ahead of Punjab polls
The latest developments come months before the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections, with the AAP facing dissent within its state unit.
The resignations of Pathanmajra and Jouramajra came a day after the party released its first list of 40 candidates for the upcoming Assembly elections.
Their departure, followed by Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh's exit, marks a significant political development for the ruling party in Punjab.
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