The defection by Raghav Chadha and six other MPs of the Rajya Sabha to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has been heavily criticised by Bhagwant Mann stating the defection unconstitutional and a threat to the democratic norms. On Tuesday, the Punjab chief minister met Droupadi Murmu requesting her to withdraw the membership of the defectionist MPs who have reportedly joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Addressing the press afterward, Mann pointed out that there is no legal provision that can permit a group of MPs to merge with another party without following due process. He said that in case the leaders were not satisfied with AAP they should have resigned their positions first before they changed their political allegiance. “They cannot do as they please. Laws regulate such acts, Mann said, emphasizing that the present state of affairs just weakens the spirit of the Constitution.
The development is shortly after Chadha and the other MPs held a meeting with the President, which aggravated the political standoff. Mann termed the move as a form of mocking democracy and demanded that their membership in the Rajya Sabha be immediately cancelled. He further proposed that in case there are no proper laws to deal with such cases, then amendments should be made to enhance anti-defection laws.
The controversy has led to a broader discussion on political defections and the necessity to enforce more stringent rules regulating elected representatives. As the tensions between the parties were on the rise, the matter is likely to result in a great deal of political implications in the nearest future.