Gurpreet Singh :- Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Tuesday met President Droupadi Murmu and termed the defection of seven Rajya Sabha members from the Aam Aadmi Party to the Bharatiya Janata Party as “unconstitutional”. Speaking to reporters after the meeting at Rashtrapati Bhavan, Mann launched a sharp attack on the Centre, asserting that attempts similar to “Operation Lotus” would not succeed in Punjab.
Demands Cancellation of Membership
The Chief Minister said that the members who had “betrayed” the party should be disqualified without delay. He further alleged that central agencies such as the Enforcement Directorate and the Central Bureau of Investigation were being misused to destabilise elected governments.
Strong Response to ‘Next Target Punjab’ Remark
Reacting to statements by BJP leaders describing Punjab as their “next target” following their victory in West Bengal, Mann said, “Punjab is not a truck that anyone can take control of at will. It is a state that has always stood firm in the face of every national challenge.” He added that the BJP currently has only two MLAs in Punjab and claimed that the number could drop to zero in the next elections.
Calls Defections a Blow to Democracy
In a post on social media platform X, Mann described the switching of seven MPs as a blow to democracy. He said that the people of Punjab do not tolerate betrayal and asserted that his government would continue to safeguard democratic values and the public mandate at all costs.
Seven MPs Joined BJP Last Month
It may be recalled that on April 24, seven out of ten AAP Rajya Sabha members—Raghav Chadha, Ashok Mittal, Sandeep Pathak, Harbhajan Singh, Rajinder Gupta, Vikramjit Sahney and Swati Maliwal—joined the BJP. Of these, six members are associated with Punjab.
