Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann meets President, calls AAP MPs’ switch to BJP a ‘mockery of Constitution’

E-PaperSubscribeSubscribeEnjoy unlimited accessSubscribe Now! Get features like Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann met President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday, seeking termination of membership of six of the seven Rajya Sabha members who recently quit the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and joined the BJP, calling the move a “mockery” of the Constitution. Chief Minister of Punjab Bhagwant Mann calls on President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan, in New Delhi on Tuesday. (@rashtrapatibhvn X)Mann, accompanied by party MLAs to the capital, submitted a representation signed by them, urging action against the MPs elected from Punjab. Seven MPs, including Raghav Chadha, Sandeep Pathak, Ashok Kumar Mittal, Harbhajan Singh, Rajinder Gupta, Vikramjit Singh Sahney and Swati Maliwal, switched to the BJP on April 24, constituting two-thirds of AAP’s strength in the Upper House. Six of these seven MPs are from Punjab while Maliwal is from Delhi. Also Read: 'Can't do as they please': Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann hits out at Raghav Chadha, ex-AAP MPs for BJP switch While Mann met the President at Rashtrapati Bhavan around 12 pm, his ministers and MLAs were stopped near Rail Bhavan. After the meeting, Mann said he apprised the President of what he termed the “murder of democracy”. “How can a group of MPs claim a split, form a separate party and then merge with another party? This kind of arbitrariness cannot be allowed,” he said. He also questioned how the BJP, with only two MLAs in Punjab, now has six Rajya Sabha MPs from the state. “How can this happen? Is this not a mockery of the Constitution?” he said. Mann demanded a constitutional provision to enable the “recall” of elected MPs, adding that the defectors should have resigned before joining another party. Responding to allegations of vendetta politics by Chadha and other rebel MPs, Mann said joining the BJP did not provide a “suraksha kavach” (protective shield) against legal action. Also Read: Raghav Chadha congratulates BJP on 'historic' West Bengal sweep, says verdict reflects decisive leadership Earlier in the day, Chadha and other MPs, including Sandeep Pathak, Ashok Mittal and Rajinder Gupta, also met the President and submitted their representation alleging “politically motivated” action against them following their exit from AAP. A senior assistant editor, Navneet Sharma leads the Punjab bureau for Hindustan Times. He writes on politics, public affairs, civil services and the energy sector.