A major political storm has erupted in the Upper House as Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh formally submitted a petition to the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan, on Sunday. The petition demands the immediate disqualification of seven AAP Rajya Sabha members who recently defected to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The move follows the departure of seven key AAP members, including Raghav Chadha and Sandeep Pathak, who announced their decision to leave the party and merge with the BJP earlier this week. AAP leadership has characterized this defection as a direct violation of the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution, which governs the anti-defection law.
“The seven MPs’ act of joining the BJP is completely unconstitutional and illegal,” Sanjay Singh stated during a press conference held after the submission. He emphasized that the party has sought guidance from constitutional experts, including senior advocate Kapil Sibal and former Lok Sabha Secretary-General P.D.T. Achary, both of whom have reportedly opined that the defecting members are liable for disqualification.
Key highlights of the ongoing political situation include:
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AAP maintains that anti-defection laws do not recognize splits or mergers in the Rajya Sabha, regardless of a two-thirds majority.
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The defecting group reportedly includes prominent figures such as Raghav Chadha, Sandeep Pathak, Ashok Mittal, Harbhajan Singh, Rajinder Gupta, Vikram Sahney, and Swati Maliwal.
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The BJP has gained significant numerical strength in the Upper House following these defections, narrowing the gap to a two-thirds majority.
The Rajya Sabha Chairman’s office is currently reviewing the petition, and a formal response regarding the legal standing of the defecting MPs is awaited. The development has created a significant challenge for legislative proceedings as both parties prepare for further legal and parliamentary debates.
The curiosity surrounding the Chairman’s decision remains at an all-time high as the nation watches to see if these high-profile defections will stand or trigger a historic disqualification. With the Rajya Sabha set to reconvene, the validity of this political maneuver will likely redefine how parliamentary parties manage internal dissent in the years to come.