New Delhi: Sanjay Singh on Sunday said he has submitted a petition to C P Radhakrishnan seeking the disqualification of seven Members of Parliament who recently quit the Aam Aadmi Party and merged with the Bharatiya Janata Party.
Addressing a press conference, Singh alleged that the move violated provisions of the anti-defection law and the Constitution, adding that the party would pursue legal remedies if required.
MPs quit AAP, merge with BJP
The development comes after seven AAP Rajya Sabha MPs — Raghav Chadha, Ashok Mittal, Sandeep Pathak, Harbhajan Singh, Rajendra Gupta, Vikram Sahni and Swati Maliwal — resigned from the party and announced their merger with the BJP.
The MPs claimed that the party led by Arvind Kejriwal had deviated from its founding principles and values.
Anti-defection law cited
Sanjay Singh argued that the defections were in violation of the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution of India, which governs disqualification of legislators on grounds of defection.
He said that several Supreme Court rulings in cases related to Uttarakhand and Arunachal Pradesh have clarified the application of anti-defection provisions.
“Those elected on a party ticket cannot simply switch sides without consequences. This is a betrayal of the people and the Constitution,” Singh said.
Debate over merger provision
Responding to the allegations, Raghav Chadha said that the move complied with constitutional provisions, noting that at least two-thirds of a party’s MPs are required to merge with another party to avoid disqualification.
With AAP having 10 MPs in the Rajya Sabha, the defection of seven members meets that numerical threshold, according to the group.
The issue is now likely to be examined by the Chairman, who will decide whether the merger is valid under the law.
Political reactions and allegations
Singh also dismissed reports suggesting that AAP legislators in Punjab were in contact with the BJP, calling them “false propaganda”.
He claimed that there was public anger in Punjab against the MPs who quit the party, particularly as most of them represented the state in the Rajya Sabha.
Row over bungalow controversy
Separately, Singh responded to allegations raised by the BJP regarding a government bungalow allotted to Arvind Kejriwal in Delhi.
Delhi minister Parvesh Sahib Singh had alleged that excessive expenditure, including private funds, was used to develop high-end amenities at the residence, dubbing it “Sheesh Mahal 2”.
Rejecting the claims, Singh said the images circulated were “fake” and announced that the party would initiate defamation proceedings against those spreading misinformation.
Conclusion
The political standoff over the alleged defections has set the stage for a legal and constitutional battle, with the Rajya Sabha Chairman’s decision likely to play a crucial role. The outcome could have wider implications for the interpretation of anti-defection laws and party discipline in Parliament.